While the Los Angeles Lakers have no intention of trading Austin Reaves at this time, we should remember the Lakers said the exact same thing about Anthony Davis before he was suddenly traded for superstar Luka Doncic.
It’s obvious the Lakers want to see how the new and returning players fit before they make any major trade deadline decisions, which is why they are essentially starting the same players as last season except for center. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Deandre Ayton will begin the season as starters with Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, and Jaxson Hayes as primary backups.
With Luka Doncic now locked up with a new extension, the Lakers must shift their attention to Austin Reaves, who declined a 4-year $89 million offer and will be eligible for a 5-year $247 million extension next summer.
After last season’s disappointing playoff performance, Reaves will be under intense pressure to show that he’s the right defensive fit next to Luka and that he and Doncic can develop into a championship caliber backcourt.
So what would the Lakers’ Austin Reaves really worth in a blockbuster trade? Last regular season, Reaves was one of just twelve NBA players that averaged as much as 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game.
That Reaves accomplished this as literally the third offensive option on the Lakers behind Luka Doncic and LeBron James is even more remarkable. The big question for the Lakers is whom could they turn Austin into?
With the Lakers committed to being able to offer three first round draft picks on draft day next summer, it’s time for Rob Pelinka to find out exactly what Austin Reaves would be worth in a blockbuster offseason trade.
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1. THUNDER’S LUGUENTZ DORT!
LUGUENTZ DORT, SG, 6′ 4″, 220 lbs, 26-yrs old, 2-yr $36M contract
10.1/4.1/1.6/0.5/1.1 on 29.2 mpg, shooting 43.5/41.2/71.7%
Could the Los Angeles Lakers turn rising star Austin Reaves and young shooting prospect Dalton Knecht into the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 26-year old All-Defensive First Team point-of-attack guard Luguentz Dort?
There may not be a more perfect shooting guard fit next to Luka Doncic than Luguentz Dort, who’s alpha defensive physicality and elite shooting skills are exactly what the Lakers need to complement their superstar.
Trading Reaves and Knecht for Dort would transform the Lakers’ starting lineup and pair Luka Doncic with an elite physical point-of-attack guard to give the Lakers a legitimate championship caliber quality backcourt.
For the Thunder, Austin Reaves would give them a second elite All-Star quality scorer/playmaker to complement Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Austin would join Alex Caruso as the OKC Thunder’s purple and gold alumni.
With their incredibly deep roster and treasure chest of draft capital, the Thunder dance to a different drummer than the rest of the league. They have enough defense now and coming to easily replace Luguentz Dort.
Dort is such a great fit next to Doncic that the Lakers should be willing to include some draft capital as part of the package. Fortunately, OKC could still value a Lakers swap because they’re confident they’ll finish higher.
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2. CLIPPERS’ KRIS DUNN & DERRICK JONES JR.
KRIS DUNN, SG, 6′ 3″, 205 lbs, 31-yrs old, 2-yr $11M contract
6.4/3.4/2.8/0.4/1.7 on 24.1 mpg, shooting 43.0/33.5/68.2%
DERRICK JONES JR, SF, 6′ 6″, 210 lbs, 28-yrs old, 2-yrs $20M contract
10.1/3.4/0.8/0.4/1.0 on 24.3 mpg, shooting 52.6/35.6/70.3%
Could the Los Angeles Lakers turn rising star Austin Reaves and young shooting prospect Dalton Knecht into the Los Angeles Clippers’ dynamic defensive duo of guard Kris Dunn and forward Derrick Jones Jr?
Trading two one-way offensive players in Reaves and Knecht for two elite two-way players with proven defensive credentials in Dunn and Jones Jr. would dramatically upgrade the Lakers’ defensive depth and diversity.
Dunn, who was among the top-10 leaders in steals per game last season could be a perfect backcourt mate for Doncic while Jones Jr. could step right in as the Lakers’ starting small forward and elite wing defender.
For the Clippers, stealing future All-Star lead guard Austin Reaves from their crosstown rivals for two good role players is another savvy front office move that could someday become as ‘beloved’ as the Ivica Zubac trade.
The inter-city trade also provides the Clippers with some desperately needed insurance in Austin Reaves for the older James Harden and Chris Paul and a promising young 3-point shooting prospect in Dalton Knecht.
Trading Reaves and Knecht for Dunn and Jones Jr. would transform the Lakers’ starting lineup from offense only to a balanced offense and defense by replacing two offense-first starters with two defense-first starters.
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3. SUNS’ DILLON BROOKS & NICK RICHARDS
DILLON BROOKS, SF, 6′ 6″, 225 lbs, 29-yrs old, 2-yr $40M contract
14.0/3.7/1.7/0.2/0.8 on 31.8 mpg, shooting 42.9/39.7/81.8%
NICK RICHARDS, CE, 7′ 0″, 245 lbs, 27-yrs old, 1-yr $5M contract
9.3/8.2/0.9/1.0/0.2 on 22.0 mpg, shooting 59.1/0.0/74.4%
Could the Los Angeles Lakers turn rising star Austin Reaves and sharp shooting power forward Rui Hachimura into the Phoenix Suns’ pair of elite defensive small forward Dillon Brooks and backup center Nick Richards
Trading Reaves and Hachimura for Brooks and Richards could immediately solve the Lakers glaring needs for an elite starting small forward who can defend wing scorers and a bruising backup center who can protect the rim.
The Lakers would begin the season starting Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, Dillon Brooks, LeBron James, and Deandre Ayton with Gabe Vincent, Bronny James, Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero, and Nick Richards as backups.
For the Suns, Austin Reaves immediately gives them an better starting point guard option than forcing Devin Booker to be the lead guard since Tyus Jones’ didn’t work out as a starter. Booker can now play two guard.
Meanwhile, Rui Hachimura can step right into Dillon Brooks starting power forward role and newly acquired Mark Williams and rookie first round pick Khaman Maluach have made Nick Richards expendable
Trading Reaves and Knecht for Brooks and Richards would immediately fill the Lakers two most glaring roster needs: an elite starting small forward to defend scoring wings and a backup center to protect the rim and paint.
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4. PELICANS’ HERB JONES
HERB JONES, SF, 6′ 7″, 206 lbs, 26-yrs old, 2-yr $27M contract
10.3/3.9/3.3/0.5/1.9 on 32.4 mpg, shooting 43.6/30.6/82.5%
Could the Los Angeles Lakers turn rising star Austin Reaves and young shooting prospect Dalton Knecht into the New Orleans Pelicans’ 26-year old former All-Defensive First Team point-of-attack small forward Herb Jones?
Herb Jones could be the ideal premier point-of-attack wing defender the Lakers need as starting small forward. While not the 3-point shooter Luguentz has become, Herb is capable of shooting over 40% from deep.
Trading Reaves and Knecht for Jones would give the Lakers starting lineup another elite 3&D small forward as well as opening up starting shooting guard for Marcus Smart to play alongside Luke Doncic in the backcourt.
For the Pelicans, Austin Reaves would give them a young future All-Star to help mentor and develop young players and a great pick-and-roll partner for Zion Williamson, whose salary the Pelicans are going to guarantee.
Dalton Knecht could be an important piece for the Pelicans to develop. Right now, New Orleans needs stability and having a rising star like Austin Reaves who plays hard every night could be exactly what Pelicans need.
Like with Luguentz Dort, Herb Jones might cost the Lakers more than just Reaves and Knecht. While he had a disappointing last year, Jones is such a great fit for the Lakers they likely would have to include some draft capital.
Maybe Herb only because NOLA seems to have no clue what they’re doing. Not seeing us trade Reaves in-conference, either, which wipes most of these out. I still think we make zero moves unless the move is so good you’d be a fool to say no. We won’t be including that pick this season, either, not when a small amount of discipline nets you 3 picks on draft day and $40+ mil in expiring money. That fact, that we could be a real mover and shaker on draft day next summer, is what I’m basing every analysis on. 3 is better than 1, it’s simple analytics which should be right up the modern NBA lover’s alley. Those deals expire in late June…after Draft Day (unless I’m missing something which is entirely possible) and would allow for the entirety of the playoffs to have concluded thus paving the way for a disgruntled superstar to ask out. We could then do one of two things. Offer expiring money and 3 picks on draft day or wait a weekish and offer sign and trades plus 2 picks. Knecht (which is $4+ mil on a team option so could be treated as expiring money) could be added then just as easily. It’s funny how this level of, what seems to me to be a simple calculus, proves so elusive in the summer when everyone gets “TRADE THE WHOLE $&#%ING TEAM!!!!” mania, something I’ve never suffered from.
The fact that can’t be accounted for in these fantasy trade machine deals is that any team trading for AR has to turn around and triple his salary next summer to keep him (IF he wants to stay there). That’s a HUGE consideration….
Some of these trades can’t even be done. The Dort trade couldn’t happen because we wouldn’t have enough cap space to sign a 14 mandatory player. Besides that OKC has 15 guys under multiple year contracts that would make it expensive to wave a player.
Trade machines never tell the whole story.
I gave up on any trade posted here making sense years ago. They’re all wishful thinking exercises in inagineering a fake team that won’t ever happen. The truth is that no reporter or fan has any clue what a team is actually considering. It’s, at best, an educated guess. At worst, it’s something that’s just fun to waste time on so bo real harm done other than the time it took. One reason I’m not a bigger advocate of trades (fake or otherwise) is that we rarely predict the ones that actually happen and the track record of a trade magically solving every problem a team has is not great. It’s like defense: you have to give up something whether it’s a three pointer, midrange jumper or a layup you can’t stop everything.
I like your Wackadoo, funny.