Austin Reaves is backing the talk. Since saying he wanted to become an All-Star, the numbers don’t lie. Only four players are averaging more points than him, and even fewer match his 9.3 assists currently. However, the opportunity AR has at hand is also short-lived. Sooner or later, LeBron James will be back. Once that happens, the All-Star dreams could come crashing down.

Jovan Buha believes the only realistic way for Reaves to make it is if James falls out of eligibility. Luka Doncic is a no-brainer, having a historic four-game start to this season and putting up over 40 points per game. But there have been times a team has had three All-Stars. It’s rare, but the Lakers insider feels there is a way for Austin Reaves to sneak in.

“So, if you have Luka and LeBron as starters, the Lakers probably have to be a top two or three seed to get a third all-star. That’s certainly within the realm of possibility. And right now, that’s how things currently are and are trending. But like if they slip a little bit to fourth or to fifth or to sixth, at least around the time of like the voting, it’s almost, you know, it’s highly unlikely,” he said on his YouTube channel.

The last team with 3 or more was probably the Golden State Warriors. They finished as the top seed, and their talent pool was stacked. For Austin Reaves, it’s extremely difficult to make it. Moreover, with the USA vs the World format, it becomes even harder. As Buha explained, the conference might not matter. It’s going to be the best American players who will get the vote. Even going by position, the likes of Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, and Stephen Curry will likely be part of the NBA’s landmark event.

Considering those factors, it will be challenging for Reaves to make it to the All-Star team if LeBron James returns. However, it won’t take away from the fascinating season the 27-year-old is putting up.

Austin Reaves is chasing a bigger goal

Reaves, although motivated, won’t mind not being an All-Star this season. There are far more important things on his agenda. Notably, the promising guard declined a $90 million extension in the offseason, in hopes of a bigger payday. Now, it’s only been seven games, but the Lakers might have their backcourt partner for the future.

Austin Reaves exudes flair when he is on the ball. In spite of the short sample, Reaves has played through every scenario. Without James or Doncic, he became an unstoppable initiator, erupting for a career-high 51. With Doncic, the numbers come down, but his impact remains effervescent. There aren’t many like Reaves out there.

And he wants to spend his remaining career with the Lakers, which is a huge advantage for the organisation. Next season, if he does opt for free agency, experts feel AR could earn a much greater annual sum than the last contract offer. “He’s always been a very good player, but now he’s in a role where he can have the ball and generate a lot of offense. Someone is going to pay him a lot of money next summer,” a West executive said about the Lakers guard.

They feel Reaves could earn an average salary of $30 million. With LeBron James’ likely exit, the Lakers will have cap space available. Being an All-Star could go a long way in improving the figure. It might not be in the $240 million ballpark if he fails to make it. But it’s still going to be a sizeable increase. It looks certain that Reaves’ bet on himself didn’t fail him. And there are only more things to come for the 27-year-old star.