Lakers News: Is It Time for LA To Trade Its Best Non-All-Star Asset?

Can the team meaningfully improve if it does nothing this offseason?

Jan 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino (0) and guard Austin Reaves (15) and forward Rui Hachimura (28) and guard Max Christie (10) forward Anthony Davis (3) and forward LeBron James (23) look on from the bench in the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

In something of a shocker for late July during an NBA free agency cycle, the Los Angeles Lakers number among just a handful of teams who have avoided adding any new players via free agent signings — and they're ostensibly trying to win!

Part of that, of course, is due to team president Rob Pelinka's decision to bake 2024-25 season player options into the contracts of fringe rotation pieces like big men Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood, plus forward Cam Reddish. Pelinka was no doubt not expecting all three players to flop in 2023-24 and, in a probably-accurate read of the market, all feel compelled to pick up those options this summer. Thanks to the selection of guards Dalton Knecht and Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft, plus the free agency returns of incumbent players LeBron James and Max Christie, Los Angeles already has all 15 slots on its standard roster filled.

Pelinka will need to trade or outright cut players if he wants to add some of the still-viable free agent options out there.

Is it time for L.A. to cut bait on its best non-All-Star in shooting guard Austin Reaves and his below-market $13 million contract for next season?

The 6-foot-5 swingman followed up his breakout second pro season with a good-not-great third in 2023-24. Appearing in all 82 Lakers games (but only starting in 57 because former head coach Darvin Ham out-thought himself), the 26-year-old posted averages of 15.9 points on .486/.367/.853 shooting splits, 5.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.8 steals a night. He's a solid three-level scorer and a good passer and off-ball cutter, though he's not much of a defensive threat for a porous perimeter rotation. Should Los Angeles use the contract of Reaves and/or its only plus-value role player, forward Rui Hachimura, in a deal for more defensive depth?

Reaves may be more valuable to Los Angeles than he would be to a rival team. But if the right deal is out there that would require Reaves and L.A.'s two usable future first round picks, it would at least behoove the team to consider a trade.

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