Rich Paul stirred up conversation this week after giving his personal player tier breakdown on the Game Over podcast. While discussing how he evaluates talent, Paul avoided traditional “best player” rankings and instead grouped players by tiers, which led to a comparison that immediately caught attention in Los Angeles due to Austin Reaves’ mention.
“The best two guards are on the Olympic team, Paul said. “Norman Powell is not on the Olympic team, but does that mean that Norman Powell is not a really good two guard? No. But this is what I’m saying if you’re talking about the best. That’s why I like to go by tiers, not best… The tier 1 guys, the tier 2 guys… I would say Norman Powell is in that Tier 2 with Austin Reaves and Desmond Bane.”
As the agent and business partner to LeBron James (among other athletes), Rich Paul offers a unique perspective on the NBA and how different players compare to each other. Unlike the typical fan, Paul does not rank stars in numerical order. Rather, he judges players based on tiers, grouping them by varying degrees of talent.
Paul agreed that Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, and Anthony Edwards are currently the three players at the highest tier of their position. It makes sense given their All-Star résumés. After that is where things get more interesting.
Specifically, Paul’s comments add another layer to the ongoing discussion surrounding Austin Reaves’ development, especially after the 26-year-old guard took on a bigger role this season. In 20 games, the Lakers guard is averaging a career-high 28.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 50.9 percent shooting (37.0 percent from three). He has been a powerful offensive force this season, demonstrating remarkable skills as a scorer, ball handler, and lead playmaker.
According to Paul, Reaves is roughly on the same level as Norman Powell, who has been on fire for the Heat this season with averages of 24.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 50.0 percent shooting (43.6 percent from three). He has been a major bright spot for them and may have a strong All-Star case if Miami can maintain its record.
As for Bane, his stats are the lowest of the three with averages of 19.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 44.8 percent shooting (34.9 percent from three). With the Magic at just 15-10, his season has not gone as expected.
“I like Desmond Bane because he’s a winning two guard,” said Paul. “Most people are looking at stats, most people are looking at style of play. But when you’re talking about winning, if you have a structured team on the floor, Desmond Bane is a top-five shooting guard.”
At this point, most experts would rank Reaves above both Powell and Bane, especially since the Lakers guard is outpacing them in nearly every statistical category. On all fronts, it has been a breakout season for Reaves, and many would argue he deserves consideration for that Tier 1 classification.
Very few shooting guards are doing what Reaves has done all season, and it is a huge reason why the Lakers are second in the West standings. Whether Rich Paul realizes it or not, the Lakers are more Reaves’ team than LeBron’s team now, and the balance of power has shifted farther than anyone could have imagined.
As Reaves continues to elevate his game, conversations like these only reinforce how far he has come in such a short time. The tiers will shift and opinions will change, but his impact on this Lakers team is unmistakable. If he keeps trending upward, the league may need to adjust its expectations again as Reaves pushes toward an even higher level.
