During this season’s playoffs, Austin Reaves’ performance has sparked considerable debate. It’s widely recognized that building a team around Luka Doncic requires pairing him with a strong secondary playmaker, but is Reaves the right fit?
At least in Doncic’s view, the answer is clear. He believes Reaves can both handle the ball to facilitate offense and excel in off-ball situations. Doncic has left no doubt about his desire to continue playing alongside Reaves.
Multiple league insiders have revealed that Doncic has made his stance clear to the Lakers: he wants to keep Reaves on the roster. Beyond their close friendship, Doncic sees Reaves as an indispensable piece for the team’s long-term future. Sources indicate that Doncic’s valuation of Reaves is evident in his firm request that Reaves not be included in any potential trade packages for Giannis Antetokounmpo. These insiders also note that Doncic prefers a team-building approach where the Lakers retain Reaves while pursuing any available superstar.
Reports suggest the Lakers plan to explore trade scenarios for Antetokounmpo this summer.
According to league sources, Doncic has communicated with the Lakers and is impressed by the frequency of those discussions. He also specifically mentioned that he thought the team performed exceptionally well during their 15-2 run in March.
Of course, acquiring a superstar without including Reaves would make any negotiation incredibly complex. The Lakers currently have limited trade assets: three first-round picks, one second-round pick, swap rights, and a few young players with relatively high value around the league.
It must be emphasized that all these scenarios depend on the Lakers and Reaves reaching an agreement on a contract. While team and league sources generally expect the two sides to eventually settle on a reasonable deal, the possibility of Reaves leaving remains if he receives a lucrative offer from another team. Rival executives predict Reaves could demand up to $40 million per year, given his strong on-court production, age, and the scarcity of similarly productive players in free agency.
Currently, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, both in need of guards, are the only two teams with enough salary cap space to meet the financial threshold required to sign a player of Reaves’ caliber.
League sources indicate that teams like the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks, who have shown interest in Reaves, would need to adjust their rosters to free up salary space. Additionally, sources say Reaves will weigh a team’s winning potential heavily in his decision.
Over the past two seasons, Reaves has averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game. In the NBA, only players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Cade Cunningham, LaMelo Ball, Luka Doncic, and LeBron James have posted similar numbers over at least 100 games.
If the Lakers pursue a third star, it would likely leave no room for LeBron James on the roster, signaling that his time in Los Angeles is counting down. Even if they keep Reaves, some question the backcourt’s defensive capabilities. In the playoffs, defense was a primary reason for the Lakers’ losses, and without a solid defensive system, matching up against a more complete team like the Thunder would be a struggle. If these two form the backcourt, the Lakers might at best reach the second round of the Western Conference, with little chance of touching the conference finals.