While the Lakers do not want to trade Austin Reaves, they’d be grossly negligent if they do not reach out to other teams and find out what they might be willing to give up to trade for the talented young point guard.
The Lakers’ problem is most observers just do not believe a Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves backcourt, despite how great they could be offensively, simply cannot be good enough defensively to win an NBA championship. The Lakers face pressure from LeBron and Luka to go all-in and trade young stars like Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht and their 2031 first round pick and multiple swaps to upgrade their roster to championship caliber.
With James eligible to become a free agent this summer and Doncic projected to be in the same position next summer, all eyes will be on the Lakers’ newly promoted President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers’ top priority this summer has to be to lock up LeBron James and Luke Doncic for as many years as possible. The Lakers cannot relax and rest until Rob Pelinka gets their signatures on new contracts or extensions.
While their public position has been that Austin Reaves is not untouchable, the Lakers have also made it clear any trade of their promising young point guard would have to bring back a legitimate foundational player in return.
Right now, the Lakers need a starting quality center who can protect the rim and stretch the floor both vertically and horizontally and a starting quality shooting guard who can shut down elite guard and wing scorers.
Here are 4 young NBA players whom the Los Angeles Lakers should target in blockbuster trades for Austin Reaves. What all four candidates have in common is they are all solid two-way players who can score and defend.
1. Celtics’ Derrick White
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The first player whom the Lakers should target in a blockbuster trade for Austin Reaves is Celtics’ starting point guard Derrick White, who’s a clutch offensive point guard and All-Defensive Second Team in 2023 and 2024.
White would be the perfect All-Defensive guard to pair with Doncic in a championship Lakers’ backcourt of the future. He may not be as versatile offensively as Reaves but his elite perimeter defense is a game-changer.
White will turn 31-years old in July so the Lakers would not only be trading be trading a 26-year old for a player 5 years older but also trading a player earning only $13.9 million per year for one making $28.1 million per year.
The Celtics are expected to prioritize moving the older and more expensive Holiday or Porzingis but the opportunity to swap White for a versatile star like Reaves who’s 5 years younger and half as expensive could be tempting.
Would the Lakers include a pick swap to sweeten the deal? The Luka trade dramatically reduced the value of the Lakers pick swaps but they’re still highly desirable trade assets to teams likely to finish above the Lakers.
For the Lakers, trading for the 31-year old Derrick White is a better fit with both Luka Doncic and LeBron James than pursuing the soon to be 35-years old Jrue Holiday, who’s 4 years older and $4 million more expensive.
For the Celtics, trading the older, more expensive White for the younger and cheaper Reaves and Vincent’s expiring contract will ultimately save them over $25 million per year in player salaries and luxury taxes.
Bottom line, Derrick White should be the first player the Lakers target in a blockbuster trade for Austin Reaves. White is the shut down perimeter defender the Lakers need to pair with Doncic without giving up offense.
DERRICK WHITE, 6′ 4″, 190 lbs, 30-years old, $28.1M/yr
16.4 pts, 4.5 rebs, 4.8 asts, 1.1 blk, 0.9 stls in 33.9 mpg
Shooting 12.6/9.1/1.2 shots for 44.2/38.4/83.9%
AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%
2. Trailblazers’ Deni Avdija
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The second player the Los Angeles Lakers should pursue in a blockbuster Austin Reaves trade is 24-year old Trailblazers’ small forward Deni Avdija, an uber-talented young player who could become a superstar next to Luka.
The 24-year old Avdija is exactly the kind of young star for whom the Lakers should be seeking in trade for Austin Reaves. Like Reaves, Avdija not only has a rising upside but also an extremely valuable team friendly contract.
Avdija is the perfect small forward for the Lakers. He has great positional size, attacks the basket downhill, stretches the court with his 3-point shot, and is a smart and physical defender who can guard multiple positions.
For the Lakers, swapping Austin Reaves straight up for Deni Avdija does not solve the problem of finding a 3&D defensive stopper to pair with superstar Luka Doncic in the backcourt but it does solve their small forward issues.
The Lakers have long struggled with having enough size and physicality at small forward to handle the bigger guard and wing scorers in the West. At 6′ 9″ and 240 pounds, Deni has the quickness to stay with smaller players.
For the Blazers, Austin Reaves would give them an elite starting point guard who could also mentor former #3 draft pick Scoot Henderson, who has struggled to reach his projection as Portland’s point guard of the future.
The Blazers are committed to building around Scoot Henderson and Shannon Sharpe. Swapping Deni Avdija for Austin Reaves would be a specific move to turbocharge Scoot Henderson’s player development.
The Blazers are a young team on the rise with a lot of talent. Swapping two rising young stars on incredible team friendly contracts like Deni Avdija for Austin Reaves is the kind of win-win trade that could help both team.
DENI AVDIJA, 6′ 9″, 240 lbs, 24-years old, $14.4M/yr
16.9 pts, 7.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.0 stls in 30.0 mpg
Shooting 11.7/4.8/5.2 shots for 47.6/36.5/78.0%
AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%
3. Pelicans Herb Jones
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If the Boston Celtics are not willing to trade Derrick White for Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers should see if the New Orleans Pelicans would swap small forward Herb Jones straight up for Austin Reaves.
While Jones does not provide the two-way skillsets of Derrick White, he would still be an elite player to pair in the backcourt with Luke Doncic. At 6′ 7″, Herb could be the Lakers’ version of the Hawks’ 6′ 8″ Dyson Daniels.
Just as Dyson Daniels uses his All-Defensive skills to protect Hawks’ offense-first point guard Trey Young, Jones could use his elite defensive skill sets to protect the Lakers’ offense-first point guard Luka Doncic.
While Herb Jones has primarily played small forward, he’s an elite perimeter defense who has the quickness of feet and hands to defend smaller players as well as the physicality to bang with bigger players.
The Lakers would look to start Herb at shooting guard alongside Luka Doncic in a 6′ 7″ backcourt with great positional size and physicality. Herb Jones would be an ideal backcourt mate for an offense-first Luka Doncic.
For the Pelicans, Austin Reaves would immediately give them the star point guard around which to build as they look towards another major rebuild that could even end up moving Zion Williamson in a blockbuster move.
The Pelicans have several elite defenders but have never been able to find a way to turn them into an elite team defense. That nobody is untouchable is a harsh testament to just how bad things have gotten in New Orleans.
If the Lakers cannot trade for Derrick White, then pivoting to Herb Jones would be a smart move as he could be the perfect backcourt defense-first partner for the Lakers’ offense-first superstar point guard Luka Doncic.
HERB JONES, 6′ 7″, 206 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
10.3 pts, 3.9 rebs, 3.3 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.9 stls in 32.4 mpg
Shooting 8.6/3.6/2.0 shots for 43.6/30.6/82.5%
AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%
4. Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu
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Finally, 24-year old Atlanta Hawks starting center Onyeka Okongwu could be the one potential starting center worth the Los Angeles Lakers trading Austin Reaves for in a blockbuster one-for-one straight up no picks deal.
Okongwu finally moved into the Hawks’ starting lineup last season, starting 40 games and posting career highs in almost every statistic, posting 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 0.9 steals in just 27.9 mpg
Onyeka Okongwu has developed into an elite as well as versatile defensive center who can both protect the rim with his shot blocking as well as defend in space with his ability to move his feet and rotate quickly.
For the Lakers, Okongwu would be the perfect center with the experience and expertise to win with James and Doncic in the short term but also with the raw youth and wide open ceiling to excel with Luka over the long term.
Onyeka is also an excellent vertical lob threat that Luka needs to be the best version of himself and, as a 75% career free throw and 32% 3-point shooter, has been slowly transforming himself into a modern stretch center.
For the Hawks, trading Okongwu could probably only happen if they use one or both of their two first round picks (#13 and #22) to upgrade center position with Derik Queen of Maryland or Maxime Raynaud from France.
There have even been rumors the Hawks might bundle their two first round picks to try and move up to draft Duke center Khaman Maluach. Despite the extension, the Hawks are interested in upgrading center.
Should he become available, Onyeka Okongwu would be a perfect modern two-way center who could help LeBron James and Luka Doncic win a championship and then Luka post-LeBron win multiple championships.
ONYEKA OKONGWU, 6′ 10″, 240 lbs, 24-years old, $15.0M/yr
13.4 pts, 8.9 rebs, 2.3 asts, 0.9 blk, 0.9 stls in 27.9 mpg
Shooting 9.2/2.0/2.9 shots for 56.7/32.4/75.9%
AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%
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