Despite entering the playoffs as the three-seed in the Western Conference and one of the title favorites, the Los Angeles Lakers severely disappointed with their 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. Their lack of depth, especially in the frontcourt, proved to be too costly against a deep and talented Minnesota team led by Anthony Edwards.
While their frontcourt rotation and overall quality on defense were the main reasons for their demise, the Lakers were also not good enough on the offensive side of the ball. After scoring 116.3 points per 100 possessions in the regular season, the Lakers had an offensive rating of 109.9 in the five games against Minnesota. They failed to create advantages in isolation, get easy shots at the rim, or exploit any of the Timberwolves' weaker defenders like Mike Conley or Julius Randle.
Austin Reaves is on Thin Ice After Disappointing Postseason Performance
One of the main culprits in that struggle was Austin Reaves. After having a breakout campaign this season, Reaves was a major disappointment in the first-round loss. In the elimination game, Reaves had six turnovers and only two assists, while going 5/14 for 12 points in 41 minutes. In the series as a whole, Reaves averaged 16.2 points and 3.6 assists in over 39 minutes per game on 41.1% from the field and 31.9% from downtown. He only took seven free throws in five games. Considering that he regularly went up against the 37-year-old Conley, whom he has a massive physical advantage against, this was hugely disappointing.
This raises questions about Reaves' fit in Los Angeles going forward. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves backcourt was already a questionable one on the defensive end. This proved to be the case as the Lakers gave up a ton of penetration and couldn't slow down the Timberwolves' offense.
To make up for his defensive shortcomings, Reaves had to have an efficient and prolific offensive series, which he failed to do. The Lakers likely would have been better off with a three-and-D type of player instead of Reaves.
One question GM Rob Pelinka has to answer is whether it's time for the Lakers to give up on Reaves and get a better-fitting player instead. While the Reaves-Doncic-LeBron James trio makes the Lakers a dangerous offensive team, the Lakers need more defense, size, and athleticism. If trading Reaves is the only way to get a player who fits that mold, the Lakers should seriously consider that this offseason.