5 Lakers Already on Thin Ice to Begin Preseason

Austin Reaves

By all measures, Austin Reaves had a solid 2024-25 season. He didn't miss a single game and averaged 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in 32 minutes of action with solid shooting splits of 48.6/36.7/85.3.

Yet, a lot of Lakers fans consider his season a disappointment. After the 2023 playoffs, the expectations were sky-high from Reaves. He was expected to be the clear-cut third-best player on this team and take his offensive production to the next level. That didn't come to fruition but the 26-year-old is still a high-level rotation player.

That jump could still come but if it doesn't, Reaves is far from a perfect player. His defensive and physical limitations cap his upside. He is a valuable player but he is likely not good enough to be the third-best player on a championship-caliber team. If he doesn't show significant improvement, he could be a massive trade asset thanks to his team-friendly contract.

Rui Hachimura

A lot of the things said above about Austin Reaves can be repeated for Rui Hachimura. The 26-year-old combo forward had a solid season, his most efficient one yet, with a 62.8 True Shooting percentage. He is a solid scorer and a player without any real weaknesses. There is certainly a good role player in there.

However, he is overstretched in his current role. For a starting small forward for a playoff team that makes $17 million per year, he is not good enough. He is a score-first wing that doesn't do much else on either end of the floor. The Lakers need to either upgrade the shooting or the defense from their starting forward spot and Hachimura can be on the chopping block to make that happen.