“Hear me out. Right now at this stage, I’m not saying overall, is AR a better number two option than Kyrie?” wondered Nick Young during a recent debate at Gil’s Arena, causing surprise from his teammates.

The former guard, an NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors in the 2017-18 season, then elaborated on his theory: “Right now, not overall…don’t think of Kyrie back in the day, think of Kyrie right now. How much is AR averaging as the number two option without LeBron?”

These assertions led to the show reviewing Reaves‘ numbers this season. He records 19.6 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in the 60 games he has played, averaging 34.6 minutes on the court. These statistics make this his best performance in four seasons in the league.

After reviewing these statistics, Gilbert Arenas agreed with Young, who immediately added: “Like I said… Remember when LeBron was out, he had 40. Think about all the buckets he gets.” However, he then concluded with a clarification: “I’m not saying he’s better than Kyrie at all.”

Reaves’ performances since LeBron’s absence

One of Nick Young’s main points is that Austin Reaves has taken on increased responsibility since the Los Angeles Lakers have been without LeBron James, who has been off the court for nearly two weeks due to a groin strain.

It has been five games since then, with three losses and two wins. In that span, Reaves posted numbers even above his current season average. Without LeBron, he is registering 28 points per game, in addition to 7.6 assists. His best performance came in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, where he led the team with 37 points and 13 assists.

Reaves as a second option

Austin Reaves’ evident evolution in the last few games demonstrates that he has no problem assuming more responsibility within the team if circumstances require it. Additionally, he has shown an interesting chemistry with Luka Doncic during the games they have played together without LeBron James—something that could prove valuable in the coming seasons.

Kyrie Irving, however, was also a second option for several teams earlier in his career, and interestingly enough, for current Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic. With both, he showed outstanding performances, being a champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside LeBron in 2016 and reaching the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks last year. With a background like that, it’s hard to agree with Nick Young in this debate.

Historically, the Lakers have been one of the winningest, most profitable franchises in all sports. The Clippers, on the other hand, have constantly struggled to compete against other NBA teamsand are yet to win their first NBA championship.

A total of 42 players have suited up for the Clippers and Lakers. They’ve been great for one or both franchises, and some of them even helped their teams make the playoffs and win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

So, today we’ve put together a list featuring the LA’s finest, the top 15 NBA players that played for the Lakers and Clippers, considering how they fared during their tenure with both of these franchises plus their resume overall.

15. Doug Christie

Doug Christie was originally drafted by the Seattle Supersonics but due to a contract breach, he had to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Like most rookies, he barely found any playing time and was eventually traded to the Knicks.

Christie broke out with the Raptors and Kingswhen he – ironically – antagonized the Lakers several times in the playoffs. He finished his career at age 36 with the Los Angeles Clippers, even though he only made 7 appearances.

14. Caron Butler

Basketball was Caron Butler’s way out of the streets and once he had the chance to prove his worth, he never looked back. His tenure with the Lakers was brief but he averaged over 15 points and developed a great rapport with Kobe Bryant.

Butler later took his game to a whole new level with the Washington Wizards, also playing for the Dallas Mavericks before having a two-year tenure with the Clippers. He eventually retired with the Kings in 2016.

13. Steve Blake

It took him a while but eventually, Steve Blake found his place in the NBA: Los Angeles. He bounced around the league for a couple of seasons before a brief stint with the Clippers in 2010.

Blake later signed with the Los Angeles Lakers and became a reliable, consistent backup point guard. His three-point shooting and playmaking made him a fanfavorite in the Staples Center in no time.

12. Matt Barnes

Matt Barnes is the ultimate Californian. He struggled to find his place in the league with some non-guaranteed deals and spending a lot of time in the Development League until the Clippers gave him a chance in 2004.

Barnes then took his 3-and-D expertise all over the league before coming back to Los Angeles to play with the Lakers. He stayed there for a couple of seasons and later joined the Clippers again from 2012-15.

11. Nick Young

For most of his career, people really didn’t take Nick Young seriously. Up to this day, most people still know him for being a meme. But make no mistake, this guy can flat-out shoot the ball and score in bunches.

Young struggled to find his home in the league and didn’t find much success with the Los Angeles Clippers. Luckily for him, he broke out as a scorer during one of the Lakers’ darkest tenures. He later joined the Warriors and helped them win a ring.

10. Antawn Jamison

Ok, not many Lakers or Clippers fans will ever mention Antawn Jamison’s name when talking about their franchise’s all-time greats. Even so, his outstanding career in the league grants him a spot on this list.

Prime Jamison was a problem. He was a walking bucket and dominant rebounder that could take the best defenders in the league to school. He spent the final two years of his career in Los Angeles, first with the Lakers and then with the Clippers.

9. Sasha Vujacic

Sasha Vujacic didn’t exactly hit you as an athletic or fast guy but, contrary to popular belief, he was pretty savvy and could contribute tomultiple aspects of the game. That’s what granted him such a long career in the league.

Vujacic’s golden years came with the Lakers and he even played a part on their back-to-back rings in 2009-10. He went back to Europe before making an NBA comeback with the Clippers in 2014 but only played two games.

8. Chris Kaman

Chris Kaman entered the league as the 6th overall pick in 2003. The Clippers trusted him as their big man for the future and he lived up to the expectations, averaging nearly a double-double all seasons and even getting an All-Star nod.

Kaman then struggled to establish himself elsewhere in the league before going back to Los Angeles, this time with the Lakers. However, he was far from his prime and only made 39 appearances for the purple and gold.

7. Jamaal Wilkes

Jamaal Wilkes is one of Los Angeles’s biggest pride. He excelled at UCLA before taking his talents to the NBA. He played for the Warriors during the first three seasons of his career before joining the Lakers.

Wilkes played 8 seasons with the Lakers, winning 4 NBA Championships and he was one of the most beloved and respected members of the locker room. He retired after one season with the Lakers.

6. Jim McMillian

Most young Lakers fans may not remember him but back in the day, Jim McMillian was a walking bucket. He averaged almost 20 points per game and helped the team win an NBA Championship during his 3-year tenure with them.

McMillian later took his talents to the East Side, joining the Buffalo Braves for another three years. As most of you may know by now, that Braves franchise would eventually become the Clippers.

5. Lou Williams

During the first couple of years of Lou William’s career, he didn’t strike out as something special. He wasn’t a pass-first point guard and was too small to play the shooting guard spot, so he wasn’t much of a factor.

He later broke out with the Toronto Raptors before also shining with the Lakers over three years. Now, he’s one of the Clippers’ locker room leaders and one of the greatest Sixth Men in the history of the game.

4. Ron Harper

Most people don’t remember that Ron Harper was one of the best scorers in the league when he played for the Clippers, as he later joined the Chicago Bulls and helped them win 3 straight championships with his defense.

Harper would then reunited with Phil Jackson in the Los Angeles Lakers and helped them win a couple of more rings, this time with Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He’s one of the winningest players of all time.

3. Swen Nater

Swen Nater was one of the best players in Clippers’ franchise history. He spent one year with the Buffalo Braves and then five with the San Diego Clippers, so he played a major role in their transition.

Nater even held the Clippers’franchise record for most rebounds in one seasonuntil DeAndre Jordan topped his 1,216 in 2015. He had a one-year tenure with the Lakers before retiring in Italy.

2. Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom’s history is as sad as it gets. There was a time when he was considered one of the deadliest, most talented combo forwards in the league, but his issues off the court almost took his life a couple of years ago.

Odom shined with the Lakers and helped them win back-to-back rings in 2009-10. However, he actually started his career with a 4-year tenure with the Clippers. He came back in 2012-13 for a season before taking his talents overseas.

1. Norm Nixon

Oldschool Lakers fans love Norm Nixon and for good reason. He averaged 15.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game over his career and helped the team win a couple of rings in the early-’80s.

Nixon spent six seasons with the Lakers before joining the San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers, where he made his 2nd All-Star game and continued to thrive towards the sunset of his career. He later retired withScavolini Pesaro in Italy.