Is now the best time to trade Austin Reaves?

Austin Reaves has improved each season he has been in the NBA, peaking last season at 20.2 PPG, 5.8 APG and 4.5 RPG as the third option on a Lakers team where the first two options shifted midseason from LeBron James and Anthony Davis to Luka Doncic and James.

This season, the 27-year-old Reaves has been the second option to Doncic while James has been sidelined, and he has also played three games as the first option when Doncic was out as well.

The results have been ... explosive.

Through seven games, Reaves has averaged a whopping 31.1 PPG, 9.3 APG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 3PG and 1.4 SPG. Those are numbers that would not only put him in the fantasy MVP discussion, but in the overall NBA MVP discussion as well.

Can Reaves sustain this production?

Fantasy managers with Reaves are faced with a difficult decision: trade him while his value is sky-high or hold on to him and hope he can be a key part of a fantasy championship run.

First, let's look at how Reaves is producing in his various roles this season. In three games as the first option with Doncic sidelined, Reaves has averaged video game numbers: 40.0 PPG, 10.0 APG, 5.3 RPG, 4.0 3PG, 2.3 SPG and 4.3 TO in 39.3 MPG. He shot 50.0% from the field and 41.4% behind the arc.

In four games as a second option behind Doncic, Reaves has averaged 24.5 PPG, 8.7 APG, 5.0 RPG, 2.3 3PG and 0.8 SPG and 2.7 TO in 36.8 PPG. He shot 47.8% from the field and 28.1% from behind the arc.

These are all small sample sizes, but I do see some useful data.

• First, Reaves has not scored fewer than 21 points in any game this season. There's a consistency that indicates Reaves is, in fact, still getting better as a player and his scoring is sustainable with opportunity.

• Second, Reaves' rebounding and assists have stayed largely consistent depending on role, but his scoring volume, 3-point volume and turnovers increase dramatically as he goes from the second option to the first. This makes macro sense because his usage goes up so much as the first option. His assists dip a bit, but not a huge amount, suggesting that Reaves will continue to be a plus passer that utilizes his possessions to be both a scorer and a distributor.

• The third observation, in some ways, is most interesting to me. Reaves' shooting percentages from the field and, more particularly, behind the arc have dropped when Reaves was in the second seat. His steals also dropped precipitously. While these could all be small-sample effects, they could also be an indication that Reaves likes setting up his shots, particularly his 3-pointers, off his own creation as opposed to being more of a spot-up shooter whose shots are created by his teammate.

  And, as a defender, Reaves may be more engaged and willing to take chances for steals when he's in the primary chair as opposed to when he's playing a more support role. The shooting percentages, in my opinion, are most likely a small sample size effect that will settle out with time.

What happens to Reaves when LeBron returns?

Now, let's project what this might tell us about what to expect from Reaves once Doncic and James are both available.

As individuals, both are very high usage types that should further limit Reaves' opportunities. Reaves offensive production as the third option likely settles out somewhere between his level from last season and his level as the second option this season. That's a low 20s scorer with about five boards and maybe six to seven assists.

If we assume that his cold shooting as the second option so far is a small sample situation, his shooting percentages likely level off similar to his percentages from last season.

But we also have to factor in the uncertainty of whether Doncic and James will be fully healthy for the remainder of the season. Both have injury histories that suggest they could miss more time as the season goes along. If so, we've seen the kind of upside Reaves has when called upon.

My rough bottom line estimate is that Reaves projects as a top-50 fantasy prospect as the third option, top-25 as a second option, and top-10 as the lead. And there is a likelihood that he'll spend at least some time in all three roles as the season progresses.

What's Reaves' trade value, if you do look to deal him?

As far as trade value, if I could trade him for value anywhere near what he is currently averaging I would do it.

If I were trading for Reaves, I would do so if I could get him near the value of where he was drafted.

His actual value in fantasy leagues likely splits the difference, with an expected value just above his draft status but upside to become a top-10-caliber player for stretches at any time based upon opportunity.