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WOULD PACERS WANT REAVES OR KUMINGA?If Indiana can't come to an agreement with Myles Turner over a new contract ( he wants $30M), then Lakers should have a better young star to offer in Reaves than the Warriors in Kuminga, who can't even get regular rotation minutes in Golden… https://t.co/NRO5tWjYAh pic.twitter.com/Vq0WRaj992— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 28, 2025
Lakers Offseason Guide:– General overview of LA's most likely options– Various cap-sheet scenarios– Free agents– Trade assets– Key dates– Roster needs and moreWATCH ⬇️ (LINK BELOW) pic.twitter.com/8jqPMY7vAM— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) May 28, 2025
NEXT YEAR LEBRONS 'FAREWELL TOUR?'First, we had Rich Paul saying he had absolutely zero idea how long LeBron was going to keep on playing.Then, we had reports that LeBron was not going to be signing a new deal with a discount so the team could use the NT MLE.Now we have… https://t.co/Fpnwqy9hHL pic.twitter.com/S72iUpsYo2— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 27, 2025
After their sorry first round exit and the playoff surge by a new guard of younger NBA teams and players, the Lakers must accept their only realistic championship path left will probably require trading Austin Reaves.
Without Austin Reaves, the Lakers simply don’t have enough highly coveted players or draft capital to trade for the elite rim protecting defensive center and the quality point-of-attack perimeter defender they need to contend. The Lakers’ current trading chips include their 2031 first round pick, $40.1 million in Hachimura, Vincent, and Kleber’s expiring contracts, last year’s #17 draft pick Dalton Knecht, and their 2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 pick swaps.
Besides being their most valuable trading chip, Austin Reaves will be eligible to sign a 4-year $89 million extension this summer. Reports are he will decline that offer and seek over $30 million per year as a free agent. While the last thing the Lakers want to do is trade a budding home-grown star on a team friendly contract, their need to optimize LeBron’s last years and to convince Luka to sign an extension may require trading Reaves.
The Lakers will open next year as a team under the first apron. Assuming they send out as much salary as the bring back, they should finish the season under the first apron and be able to use the $14.1 million NT MLE.
For the Lakers need to have room under the first apron player to be able to use the NT MLE, they would need LeBron James would have to accept less than the max salary next season, which is something he offered last year.
The Lakers say they would only trade Reaves for a foundational player. Here are 6 blockbuster Austin Reaves trades the Lakers should seriously consider if they want to create a path to win the championship this year.
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%
1. JAREN JACKSON JR.
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Lakers get elite former DPOY as the perfect modern NBA center in Jaren Jackson, Jr., who can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting and protect the rim with his shot blocking and defend in space with his quickness.
Grizzlies get a budding superstar in Austin Reaves who can shoot the three, playmake for his teammates, and has not yet gotten close to his ultimate ceiling. He is exactly what Memphis needs in a smart, savvy point guard.
JAREN JACKSON JR, 6′ 10″, 242 lbs, 25-years old, $23.4M/yr
22.2 pts, 5.6 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.5 blk, 1.2 stls in 29.8 mpg
Shooting 15.4/5.3/5.4 shots for 48.8/37.5/78.1%
2. WALKER KESSLER & COLLIN SEXTON
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Lakers get the young bruising, rim protecting center in Walker Kessler to pair with Luka Doncic and a young sharp-shooting point guard in Collin Sexton to come off the bench as the team’s 6th man and backup point.
Jazz get best player in the trade in Austin Reaves and the only Lakers player who would tempt Danny Ainge to trade Kessler to the Lakers. Jazz also get L.A.’s unprotected 2031 pick and 1–4 protection off of Lakers 2027 pick.
COLLIN SEXTON, 6′ 3″, 190 lbs, 26-years old, $19.2M/yr
18.4 pts, 2.7 rebs, 4.2 asts, 0.1 blk, 0.7 stls in 27.9 mpg
Shooting 13.8/4.3/4.0 shots for 48.0/40.6/86.5%
WALKER KESSLER, 7′ 0″, 245 lbs, 23-years old, $4.9M/yr
11.1 pts, 12.2 rebs, 1.7 asts, 2.4 blk, 0.6 stls in 30.0 mpg
Shooting 7.2/0.6/2.6 shots for 68.0/17.6/52.0%
3. LUGUENTZ DORT
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Lakers get elite two-way point-of-attack defensive guard Luguentz Dort to replace one-way point guard Austin Reaves and pair with Luka Doncic in their backcourt of the future. Dort is also a 40% volume 3-point shooter.
Austin Reaves, much like Alex Caruso, is one of those special players who can survive the Thunders’ deluge of draft picks. Reaves and Dort are due extensions. Reaves’ offense is great fit for OKC as Dort’s defense is for L.A.
LUGUENNTZ DORT, 6′ 4″, 220 lbs, 26-years old, $17.7M/yr
10.1 pts, 4.1 rebs, 1.6 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.1 stls in 29.2 mpg
Shooting 8.4/5.8/0.6 shots for 43.5/41.2/71.7%
4. JRUE HOLIDAY
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Lakers get elite two-way point-of-attack defensive guard Jrue Holiday to replace one-way point guard Austin Reaves and pair with Luka Doncic in backcourt. Lakers also get 2 seconds for taking on Jrue’s bad contract.
Austin Reaves gives the Celtics a replacement for point guard Jrue Holiday who’s 8 years younger and $20 million per year cheaper plus an opportunity to save $18.3 million by allowing Rui Hachimura’s big contract to expire.
JRUE HOLIDAY, 6′ 4″, 205 lbs, 34-years old, $32.4M/yr
11.1 pts, 4.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 0.4 blk, 1.1 stls in 30.6 mpg
Shooting 9.2/4.9/1.2 shots for 44.3/35.3/90.0%
5. DENI AVDIJA & ROBERT WILLIAMS III
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Lakers get two-way player Deni Avdija to replace one-way player Rui Hachimura at starting power forward and dynamic but injury prone two-way center Robert Williams III to become L.A.’s new starting center.
Blazers get best player in the trade in Austin Reaves, who would be a perfect mentor for 21-year old Scoot Henderson, and an immediate replacement at power forward for Deni Avdija in Rui Hachimura.
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%
ROBERT WILLIAMS III, 6′ 9″, 249 lbs, 27-years old, $13.3M/yr
5.8 pts, 5.9 rebs, 1.1 asts, 1.7 blk, 0.7 stls in 17.6 mpg
Shooting 3.9/0.2/0.9 shots for 64.1/33.3/88.2%
6. JONATHAN ISAAC & GOGA BITADZE
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Lakers get two elite defensive big men who can protect the rim and defend in space in power forward Jonathan Isaac and center Goga Bitadze. Both can play the 4 and 5 and together they would be a great center rotation.
Magic get a second star point guard and 3-point shooter in Austin Reaves and a potentially elite sharp-shooting wing in young Dalton Knecht. Magic would waive Shake Milton as he is just salary filler to make trade work.
JONATHAN ISAAC, 6′ 10″, 230 lbs, 27-years old, $15.0M/yr
5.4 pts, 4.4 rebs, 0.6 asts, 1.1 blk, 0.9 stls in 15.4 mpg
Shooting 4.6/2.1/1.5 shots for 41.4/25.8/68.2%
GOGA BITADZE, 6′ 10″, 250 lbs, 25-years old, $8.3M/yr
7.2 pts, 6.6 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.4 blk, 0.7 stls in 20.4 mpg
Shooting 4.8/0.4/1.9 shots for 61.1/10.7/63.9%
Headed home to OKC with the series at 3-1 ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/POxNREA8dc— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) May 27, 2025