Lakers: Austin Reaves Impressed in Practice but Won't See Minutes in Pre-Season With Warriors

EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Austin Reaves (#15) of the Los Angeles Lakers during Los Angeles Lakers media day at UCLA Health Training Center on October 02, 2023 in El Segundo, California. (Photo : Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Austin Reaves has been playing basketball non-stop since the start of the season last year, but it looks like he is already raring to go for another based on the stories told by his coach, Darvin Ham, from their Los Angeles Lakers practice.

Reaves, who had his breakout year last season, was instrumental for the Los Angeles Lakers in their run from several spots outside the playoff race to a Western Conference Finals finish.

He then joined Team USA in the FIBA World Cup and played meaningful minutes up to their third-place game loss to Canada.

Ham said Reaves joined the scrimmage for the upcoming pre-season games and was stellar as usual.

Read more: Are the Clippers Title Contenders? Paul George's Brutally Honest Take Will Humble Fans

However, the coach is cautious, given how much spent Reaves' body has been in the last five months.

"Austin won't play either [against the Warriors like Lebron]," Ham told reporters after practice on Friday.

"He was great today, too. It's hard for me to even say that, but the fact that it's only preseason, we'll have some other guys get a ton or reps. But Austin was unbelievable today in the scrimmage."

All-Star year for Reaves?

Ham previously raved about Reaves' rise, to the point that he predicted the 25-year-old undrafted guard to become an All-Star soon.

The praises keep coming for Reaves from Ham after the Friday practice.

"We kicked the training wheels off today and he responded unbelievably. The kid looks great. Just his confidence and the way he commands with the ball in his hands, without the ball in his hands. His scrappiness, his IQ, his ability to make shots and get the defense off-balanced, he was doing all of that today."

Reaves recently re-signed with the Lakers for a four-year/$53 million extension. Lakers fans have every reason to be excited.

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