Powerful agent Rich Paul called Austin Reaves the “killer sixth man” for a championship-caliber team while speaking on Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul. Paul agreed with Kellerman’s assessment that Reaves fits a Manu Ginobili-type role in an ideal team structure.
Despite the Lakers’ 2025-26 strong start, Paul emphasized the roster is not currently built to contend for a title. “I, personally, don’t think the Lakers are good enough to be contenders right now. Not right now,” he said.
Paul highlighted concerns over depth and balance, suggesting the team would struggle to reach the Western Conference Finals. “I don’t think they have enough to get to the Western Conference Final. I don’t think they really have enough to contend from that perspective right now,” he added.
Luka Doncic leads Los Angeles with 35.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.1 assists over 17 games, while Reaves averages career-high 28.4 points and 6.7 assists in 20 contests. LeBron James, limited to seven games due to a sciatica issue, contributes 16.1 points and 7.6 assists.
Other contributors include Deandre Ayton, averaging 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds, and Rui Hachimura with 14.0 points per game across 22 appearances. While productive individually, Paul believes the current lineup lacks the overall depth needed for a deep postseason run.
Paul’s comments underline the value of Reaves’ role as a versatile scorer and facilitator, capable of making a championship team stronger off the bench. With Marcus Smart averaging 9.3 points and 2.9 assists and Jake LaRavia adding 8.9 points and 3.8 rebounds, Los Angeles still faces limitations in rotation and health.
