LeBron James reveals, what Austin Reaves brings to the team besides shooting

Following a breakout season, the Los Angeles Lakers Austin Reaves hasn't been able to replicate the performance he had in the playoffs, especially after his participation with Team USA at the FIBA World Cup.

Despite his bad performances, Austin's teammates haven't lost faith in the guard. LeBron James is confident that Reaves will eventually get his legs back under him and return to the shooter he was last season. But more importantly, he credits Reaves for finding ways to be effective despite the poor shooting.

“What I’ve seen as someone that had a long playoff run and then played a lot of basketball in the summer,” James said. “Take a little bit for his legs to get back underneath him but the competitiveness and what he brings to our team goes without question so he can care less if he’s not making shots because he does some of the other things on the floor as well.

I mean, even tonight, he didn’t shoot like he would like to shoot and didn’t make any of us threes that he’s accustomed to making. Still chipped in with eight boards and seven assists. Timely shots down the stretch. Big-time three steals, so he’s still a big-time player for us. He’s one of our key guys, and we need to play well even i

Austin Reaves isn't only his shooting but a defender

What Reaves brings to the court with his defense and intelligence makes him a vital player to the Lakers' success even with a field goal percentage in the mid-30s. Of course, he’ll need to eventually get back on track so defenders are still forced to guard him on the perimeter, but for now, this appears to be a typical case of a fatigue-related slump for a young player.