Austin Reaves vs LaMelo Ball
Reaves · Ball
| Reaves | Ball | |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Games availability | 72 |
| 34.5 | Minutes per game | 28.0 |
| 23.3 | Points per game | 20.1 |
| 4.7 | Rebounds per game | 4.8 |
| 5.5 | Assists per game | 7.1 |
| 1.5 | Steals + blocks per game | 1.5 |
| 3.0 | Turnovers per game · lower is better | 2.8 |
| 49.0% | Field goal % | 40.7% |
| 36.0% | Three-point % 6.4 vs 10.3 attempts | 36.8% |
| 87.1% | Free throw % | 89.9% |
| 64.1% | True shooting TS% | 54.6% |
| 25.8% | Usage USG% | 30.6% |
| 23.7% | Assist % of teammates' baskets | 38.4% |
| 7.1% | Rebound % of available | 8.4% |
| +5.0 | Net rating on court | +9.1 |
| 13.7% | PIE player impact estimate | 13.4% |
| +3.6 | Plus-minus per game | +5.8 |
Where the gap is
from the numbers aboveAustin Reaves scored more in 2025-26, 3.2 points a game apart (23.3 vs 20.1), on Ball's heavier usage (30.6% vs 25.8%).
Reaves is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 64.1% to 54.6%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.
Playmaking goes to Ball (7.1 vs 5.5 assists), the glass to Ball (4.8 vs 4.7 rebounds).
Availability is part of the comparison: Ball played 21 more games (72 vs 51 of 82).
With Ball on the floor his team outscored opponents by +9.1 per 100 possessions, against +5.0 for Reaves; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.
On the books for 2026-27: Reaves $41.2M through 2029-30, Ball $40.8M through 2028-29. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.
Splits
2025-26 · from the game logs| Reaves | Ball | |
|---|---|---|
| 36-15 | Record when playing | 41-31 |
| 23.7 | Points at home | 19.5 |
| 22.7 | Points on the road | 20.6 |
| 24.8 | Points in wins | 20.4 |
| 19.6 | Points in losses | 19.6 |
| 51 | Season high | 38 |
| 12 | 30-point games | 9 |
| 6 | Double-doubles | 10 |
Last games & contracts
test a trade in the Trade Machine →More comparisons
pick any two players →Per-game numbers and percentages are 2025-26 regular season from stats.nba.com; splits and last games from our own game logs; contract figures are cap hits from public salary data and can lag a signing by a day. Bold marks the better number in each row (turnovers: fewer is better).