Josh Reaves appeared in only two NBA games in his beginner season, getting a call immediately after the new year he played 1:26 in one game and only three seconds in the other. For #ReavesHive, it was too short an experience with a player that those who invested in him hopefully will blossom into something more.
Where were they before the break?
The 22-year-old shooter guard spent the vast majority of his season with the Texas Legends where he was regularly part of his rotation, playing just over 30 minutes per game with an average of 13.7 points, five rebounds, 2.9 assists and two stolen.
Look, I’d be lying if I said I saw a single Legends game. There is too much basketball to watch and I’m old. But I saw Reaves play in Las Vegas last summer. He is a bit underpowered for the type of player who wants to be at the NBA level, who is a hard-nosed defender who can hit offensive shots in the end.
Key stat to know
33 percent. This is the three-hit rate that Reaves hits in 212 attempts with Legends. So the question of can he Reacts the blows hit is definitely unanswered. He’s also pretty maddening because he’s really the type of player who simply has a nose for the ball on defense.
However, given the longer distance of the NBA three from college, it is encouraging to hit the clip he made in the G-League. Reaves was a 32.4 percent three-point shooter in college career, hitting 38 and 36 percent from a distance from his junior and senior years. There’s something there with Reaves: if he has the chance to prove it at the NBA level it’s a different question.
Outlook for Orlando
If Reaves sees the floor, it will be for one of three reasons:
- Maverick have secured the position they want in the last eight games before the playoffs.
- The Mavericks have stumbled and just want to get to the healthy and rested playoffs.
- A drastic injury in rotation.
Dallas has some alignment data of five really strange men due to injuries before the interruption, so a distant part of my brain hopes that Reaves will get a few minutes just for the hilarity of the situation. Rick Carlisle is a sorcerer, you know.
It seems unlikely, so fans of Reaves may want to immerse themselves in his Dallas uniformed moments. Given his age and the limitations of Maverick’s role in the coming seasons, this may be his best chance of making an impact with the Mavericks.
