The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 33-21 and own the fifth seed in an uber-competitive Western Conference.
The Lakers are looking to find their groove now that Luka Doncic is in the fold. While they take time to figure that out, guard Austin Reaves has been one of their best players. He averages 19.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.
At times, Reaves has been the Lakers' best player, but former NBA player Chandler Parsons made an interesting statement. During a segment on "RunItBackFDTV", Parsons said guys like Bradley Beal, Chet Holmgren, and Paul George are better No. 3 options than Reaves.
Chandler Parsons says players like Chet Holmgren, Paul George and Bradley Beal are better third options than Austin Reaves
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Chandler Parsons Has Questionable Austin Reaves Take
Parsons said, "Austin Reaves is having a great year, he's absolutely balling. He's better also when the main guys go out, but the Cavs had three All-Stars. Chet Holmgren is a third option. Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, they're a third option, so there's some stiff competition. Again, Austin Reaves is balling. I think with a bigger role, he could be better and he's great for the Lakers... but there's so many big threes; it's a conversation, and he's in there. Calling him the best. Ahhh."
Parsons is right about there being a ton of talent around the league but the players he named aren't better No. 3 options than Reaves this season.
Let's start with George, who inked a four-year, $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers this summer. In 36 games this season, George is averaging 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 42% from the floor. That wasn't the production Philadelphia expected when giving him a contract that's paying him $50 million plus per season.
Beal is another player making $50 plus million, and his production doesn't show that. In 38 games (23 starts), Beal is logging 17.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game with the Suns. Phoenix gave a boatload of picks and players to land Beal, thinking he would take them over the top, but it's been the opposite. He's been just another player on the floor but isn't making his presence felt.
Meanwhile, Holmgren suffered a right iliac wing fracture in November that forced him to miss the next three months. The 22-year-old is a lengthy two-way force for the Thunder, averaging 15.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.
He's the only one on this list that you can make an argument for that he could be a better No. 3 than Reaves but it's still a tough conversation.
Reaves is a three-level scoring playmaker for the Lakers. In his last game for Los Angeles, he tallied 32 points and seven assists, marking his fourth game this season with 30-plus points.