After JJ Redick shared his big plans for the Lakers next season—stating that he will empower Anthony Davis as much as he wants and hailing D’Angelo Russell as a leader—it’s clear the new boss is aiming to bring out the best in his players. His words are sparking motivation among the team and its fans, fueling hope for a strong season. However, JJ isn’t the only one in the Lakers org brimming with optimism. Rob Pelinka also has high hopes, particularly for Austin Reaves. Some, however, consider them too high.

In a recent interview on ESPN LA Radio, Pelinka had expressed his excitement after seeing the 26-year-old in scrimmages, noting the significant improvements in his game. “His confidence with the ball, is something that has really stood out… You look at evolutions of players, and I don’t compare players around the league, but you look at like a great player like a Jalen Brunson and the jump he had from his Dallas days to New York,” the GM said.

While Rob Pelinka clearly believes in Reaves’ potential to develop, comparing him to Jalen Brunson might not be entirely fitting. Insider Trevor Lane addressed this concern, asking, “Is Rob putting too much on Austin here?” AR did have an impressive season last year, averaging over 15 points and 5 assists, but Lane expressed concern about the comparison.

“But Rob saying he is gonna continue to develop and we are gonna see a Jalen Brunson-like rise citing the jump that Jalen Brunson had from Dallas to New York. I mean, whether Rob attends to or not, this is putting some crazy expectations out there,” Lane added.

At face value, some might straightaway bring up the MVP reasoning. This past season was a super-special one for the NY star. JB carved open a spot for himself in the All-Star team while also ranking 5th on the MVP voting list (which most of the community considers an undervaluation!)

The key difference between Austin Reaves and Jalen Brunson, according to Trevor Lane, comes down to usage percentage—a stat that shows how much a player is involved in their team’s plays. He points out that this is where Pelinka’s comparison may fall short, explaining that when Brunson was with Dallas, his usage was 21.9%, which is close to Reaves’ 20.3% last season with the Lakers.

However, after JB moved to New York, his usage jumped to 27.2%, and last season it reached 32.5%. “Here’s Austin’s usage, last season, highest of his 3 year career, 20.3 usage percentage. So Jalen Brunson’s last season with the Mavericks had higher usage percentage than Austin already, then he jumps to the Knicks and that usage goes way up,” Lane said on Lakers Nation.

“I think that’s setting you up for failure” – Trevor Lane on Rob Pelinka’s expectations for Austin Reaves

“If you are putting the idea out there that Austin is going to make some kind of a massive leap in some way similar to leap made by Jalen Brunson, you have to remember that he is not going to have that opportunity on this lakers team,” Lane added.

AR won’t get the same chances as JB because stars like LeBron James, AD, and D’Lo, also need the ball. This isn’t about downplaying Austin Reaves’ abilities or saying he should have a larger role, but rather recognizing that the Lakers have multiple players capable of scoring and handling the ball, much better than him already. It’s more about AR making his presence felt in the star-studded roster.

Picking up on the same usage rate debate, Austin Reaves ranked 6th overall this past season in this Purple and Gold list.

Notably, Rui Hachimura hasn’t even made this list with an 18.5% usage rate in 68 games. Though JJ Redick has praised Austin Reaves and is excited to unlock his potential, expecting him to make such a massive leap could be harmful not only for Reaves but for the team as a whole. “To have a ball dominant 30% usage Austin Reaves, I don’t think that’s realistic,” Lane added.

“So for putting out there that Austin’s gonna make this crazy Jalen Brunson-esque leap…I think that’s setting you up for failure,” Trevor Lane concluded. It seemed like Rob Pelinka was trying to motivate or push Austin Reaves to become better, but the issue seems to lie in who he compared him to. Jalen Brunson might not be the right comparison at this point, given the differences in their roles.

Thoughts?

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.