Re-drafting the 2021 NBA Draft — 28. Austin Reaves, Sixers
The Sixers need guys who can play. Austin Reaves can play. He was one of precious few bright spots during the Lakers’ ill-fated season. He stood out in a second unit mostly comprised of over-the-hill vets and Talen Horton-Tucker, who has yet to deliver on his “wouldn’t trade him for Kyle Lowry” potential.
Reaves is an excellent shooter who doesn’t need touches to impact the game. He moves without the ball, he doesn’t hesitate on his shot release, and he has a veteran’s savvy. It wouldn’t take him long to out-class the likes of Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz in Philadelphia’s second unit. He would be getting playoff minutes right now.
Philadelphia really needs more size and length on the perimeter. Reaves does not deliver on that front, but he’s just such a solid role player that it would be hard for the Sixers to pass him up. Reaves can defend adequately and he’s already used to playing off of elite, ball-dominant offensive players.