Jovan Buha Reveals All-Star Lakers Would Trade Austin Reaves For

Lakers would reportedly deal Reaves for this one-time All-Star.

Trade season is approaching Laker fans, and as we inch closer and closer, the rumors are swirling. Will the Lakers pull the trigger on a big-time trade, or will they make minor adjustments around the edges? Or will they stand pat with their current team? 

These next two weeks will tell us a lot about what they will or won't do on the trade front. Anything can happen, as we learned at the last trade deadline when Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka made a trade to propel the purple and gold for the rest of the season. 

Could Pelinka do it again? We shall see. 

A trade, however it may look like, will likely happen. But can the Lakers pull off a trade for an All-Star player? Possibly, but it may cost them. 

According to The Atheltic's Jovan Buha, the Lakers would include guard Austin Reaves in a trade for someone like Utah Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen. 

"There are players the Lakers would include him in deals to acquire. If they could add a bona fide third star to complement James and Davis – Utah All-Star Lauri Markannen, for example – or multiple high-level starters in a bigger trade, they would consider moving Reaves."

(per Jovan Buha via The Athletic)

Markannen earned his first All-Star bid in 2023 with the Utah Jazz after averaging 25.6 points per game and showing his true potential as a lottery pick. 

The 26-year-old has shown he can play with the best of them and has established himself as an all-around great NBA player.

Even though it would be tough to lose a guy like Reaves, the addition outweighs the subtraction, and this potential trade would benefit the Lakers. Laker fans may have PTSD from adding a third star, but that big three was never a good fit. Adding Markannen would be a perfect fit. 

He's seven feet tall, can defend the rim when needed, and shoots the heck out of the ball from anywhere on the court. He does everything well and could be the piece to take the Lakers to the next level. 

It would suck to lose Reaves, but give me a championship-level team any day. This trade may be out of reach right now, but don't count out Pelinka yet.