NBA analyst Bill Simmons is certain that the Los Angeles Lakers will make a crucial Austin Reaves decision in the summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers had a remarkable run in the regular season to clinch the third seed in the loaded Western Conference.
However, the Lakers’ happiness was short-lived as the organization was sent home by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
While there were a plethora of issues for the Purple and Gold, Austin Reaves’ poor numbers were a key reason behind the early exit.
Photo by Harry How/Getty ImagesBill Simmons claims LA Lakers will trade Austin Reaves and Dallas Mavericks will be impacted
Following an underwhelming postseason run, Reaves’ future with the Lakers has become a focal point of discussion.
Veteran NBA analyst Bill Simmons went as far as saying that the Lakers are certain to trade Reaves in the summer of 2025. It’s only a matter of what they receive in exchange for the 26-year-old.
“When Reaves gets traded this summer, and he will get traded – the stuff they [Lakers] get back for him is gonna make it seem worse that they [Dallas Mavericks] didn’t get him in the trade,” Simmons said.
In a way, Simmons’ target was the Dallas Mavericks and their infamous Luka Doncic trade. The veteran sports analyst believes the Lakers would get more assets for Reaves than the Mavs managed to get for Doncic.
Reaves’ underwhelming 2025 NBA playoffs
AR15 entered the 2025 NBA Playoffs after having the best regular season of his career. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for the Lakers.
He was undoubtedly the team’s best scoring option behind the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic. However, according to data provided by Sofascore, Reaves’ numbers plummeted come playoff time.
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The 26-year-old averaged 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game vs the Timberwolves. More notably, Reaves shot just 41% from the field and 32% from the three-point line.
He also had a -7.4 plus-minus rating in the first round. Combine that with Reaves’ contract situation, the Lakers may part ways with the talented guard to add more help around the James-Doncic duo.