Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of followers throughout the NBA. Throughout the yr we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers followers and followers throughout the nation. Sign up here to take part in the weekly emailed surveys.
How the Lakers’ season will finish is very a lot in flux. They can end the yr as excessive as the No. 3 seed in the West, however can nonetheless fall all the means right down to the play-in in the event that they go on a dropping streak.
Once the postseason begins, it’s anyone’s guess how well or poorly that will go.
While how the 2025-26 season concludes for the purple and gold is nonetheless in query, one factor is sure: this might be a giant summer time for the Lakers.
They’ll have a ton of cap area and open roster spots obtainable to be very aggressive in the free company market as they appear to construct the finest contender doable round Luka Dončić.
Austin Reaves is a type of gamers who should determine the place he’ll play subsequent yr. He might be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is reportedly looking for a big payday. If the Lakers pay that value, they’ll be locked right into a backcourt that includes Dončić and Reaves for years to come back.
But is that the finest path ahead?
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we requested followers how assured they’re in a Dončić-Reaves backcourt. The outcomes are in, and the overwhelming majority, 80%, are assured in the duo.
Clearly, Lakers followers imagine in Luka and Austin. And they’ve good causes to. Dončić is main the NBA in scoring and is simply getting into his prime.
Reaves has gotten higher yearly and is placing up his finest numbers this season, averaging 23.9 factors, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists. Had he not suffered a calf injury and missed a bunch of video games, he would’ve doubtless made his first All-Star look this season.
It’s very doable we haven’t but seen the finest basketball both participant attain, and locking up this duo for his or her finest years looks like a great use of LA’s sources.
Their chemistry on and off the court is incredible, and as the seasons go on, this tandem will doubtless solely get higher. While most Lakers followers like the Dončić-Reaves backcourt being the future, 11% have been not sure.
The hesitance is doubtless as a result of we’ve got but to see this duo discover postseason success. Last yr in the playoffs, the Wolves picked aside the Lakers, and each Dončić and Reaves struggled in the sequence. With the purpose all the time being a championship, Lakers followers might be watching this yr’s playoff run and undoubtedly placing a variety of inventory into how properly Luka and Austin carry out in opposition to the finest in the West.
The excellent news for the Lakers entrance workplace is that solely 9% of followers should not assured on this backcourt pairing. That’s a comparatively low quantity, so re-signing Reaves looks like it is going to be a straightforward and fashionable resolution to make this summer time.
Overall, the future appears to be like bright for the Lakers with Luka and Austin as the two most important gamers the team can construct round. Last season, the Lakers have been a 50-win team and related success is nonetheless on the desk this yr. And if they create again Austin, that kind of profitable might be a practical end result transferring ahead.
You can comply with Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
