There have been some whispers lately that perhaps the Los Angeles Lakers should or need to trade guard Austin Reaves in order to become legitimate championship contenders next season. Reaves took another step forward this season in terms of his production, but he struggled in the playoffs, and his weaknesses remain obvious.
He averaged 20.2 points and 5.8 assists a game during the regular season and finished the schedule on a tear. But in the Lakers’ five-game first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was down to 16.2 points per game on 41.1% shooting from the field and 31.9% from 3-point range.
While he is a skilled scorer and a nice secondary ball-handler and facilitator, he’s relatively unathletic and a weak defender. The Lakers’ starting backcourt of Reaves and Luka Doncic is considered by many to be a defensive liability, which is a big reason why some are calling for Reaves to be dealt.
But Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times gave two reasons why the team is unlikely to trade him.
Via Los Angeles Times:
“One, the Lakers and the most important people in the organization all love Reaves and his journey from undrafted free agent to a talent that people think is All-Star caliber,” Woike wrote. “And, at just $14 million next season, he’ll be one of the most productive players in the league per dollar minus some superstars on the very early stages of their rookie deals.
“Yes, Reaves struggled in the Lakers’ five-game loss to Minnesota in the playoffs and, yes, the Timberwolves’ bigger players like Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid feasted on mismatches. And, yes, he didn’t shoot the ball well in the series.
“Yet according to people with knowledge of the situation, Reaves is still recovering from a serious toe sprain (though it’s improving and not expected to require surgery). And it’s not like the big moments have always brought out the worst of him as he helped build his reputation in the organization with the way he played in the Lakers’ biggest games.
“Two, he’s not viewed as “untradeable” because almost no one in the NBA is untradeable. But if the Lakers are going to trade him for a center, they’re going to want one that is foundationally important — a build-around type and not a fill-in toward the obvious need they have at center (and will need to address in other ways).
“If one of the best centers in the NBA were available, the conversations might be different, but at least now, during the first part of the offseason, that just isn’t the case.”
Reaves is still considered by plenty of people to be an All-Star caliber player who has given the Lakers a “Big Three” due to his improvement this season. His skill set has taken plenty of pressure off the 40-year-old LeBron James, especially when Luka Doncic has been on the bench.
His small contract would complicate the team’s efforts to get high value for him if he were to be traded soon. He has a player option for the 2026-27 season, which means he can become a free agent next summer and possibly cash in on a big contract.
The Lakers need a starting-level defensive center and improved guard and wing depth. However, they’re probably not far from being a true championship-level team, which means they may not have to give up Reaves to get to that level.