Austin Reaves drops truth bomb on playing with Luka Doncic

With nine new faces and two starting spots still up for grabs, the Lakers opened training camp with several adjustments pending as they build their new identity. One of them is Austin Reaves ' adaptation to playing alongside Luka Doncic , a duo that will be key to Los Angeles' offensive future.

However, when asked about the biggest challenge of sharing the court with the Slovenian, Reaves surprised with an unexpected answer.

The challenge of playing with Luka Doncic

"The hardest part [about playing with Luka] is to understand his English on the court," Reaves said, via ESPN Los Angeles . "He gets talking fast, Slovenian, Serbian, speaks 4 languages. Sometimes I'm looking at him like, 'talk to me in English, I need English.'"

Although the comment came in a humorous tone, Reaves acknowledged that the speed with which Doncic communicates his ideas during games requires an adjustment process. It is one of many challenges facing a team that underwent a deep roster overhaul.

The Lakers bet on Doncic and Reaves

The duo of Doncic and Reaves will be the axis of the Lakers' offensive project. Both can create their own shots and generate opportunities for teammates, but the team's success will also depend on the rest of the roster's contributions in outside shooting and defense.

To strengthen that side, Los Angeles added defensive specialists. Reaves singled out Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero and 7-foot-2 center Walker Kessler after facing them in the first practices.

"Defensively, we're going to be much better," Reaves said. The guard explained that the group competes on every possession and lets each player focus on fulfilling his role within the system.

That defensive improvement could help Doncic and Reaves come into the offense with more energy by reducing the burden of guarding the toughest matchups. At the same time, it raises the importance of the two spots still open in JJ Redick's starting lineup.

The Lakers still have important decisions to make before settling on their rotation. And according to Reaves , one of the first tasks will be learning to decipher Doncic ... even if it means asking him to explain it in English first.