Lakers News: Bill Simmons Proposes LA Trade Austin Reaves For Aging All-Star

Does this trade make sense?

Bill Simmons is at it again.

The famed media personality is responsible for creating the hit pop culture/sports platform The Ringer. Among his many interests is the NBA -- specifically his hometown Boston Celtics. 

Naturally, having a built-in dislike of the Lakers, Simmons often talks about the Purple and Gold (ironically more than he'd like since he now resides in Los Angeles). On his most recent podcast, Simmons did a deep dive into the NBA as a whole. 

"My favorite [trade target is] Austin Reaves. Because, next couple of weeks, you could conceivably make a Draymond Green for Austin Reaves trade. The Lakers, let's say they're around .500. Let's say they talk themselves into that. Does Golden State have to throw in, maybe [Moses] Moody to make that work? I just like the trade. In theory, I don't think Golden State needs Draymond. I think they should trade him."

-- Bill Simmons on a hypothetical Lakers-Warriors deal

One of his favorite pastimes includes coming up with hypothetical trades. He's made no secret of his fandom of Lakers guard Austin Reaves. Trying to find a solution that would jump-start both the Lakers and the Warriors, Simmons came to a big conclusion.

Essentially, he thinks the Lakers should trade Reaves to the Warriors in a package including embattled athlete Draymond Green. 

The scenario is certainly an interesting one. To make a possible deal more palatable from the Lakers perspective, Simmons believes swingman Moses Moody might have to be included. 

New BS Podcast!
—A Mega-NBA Power Poll from 30-1 with extended thoughts on KD’s Phoenix situation, big Luka/Embiid years and Cuban’s curious Mavs sale.
—A Week 17 deep dive + Million Dollar Picks (including Browns tonight) w/ @HousefromDC @SharpFootball https://t.co/a0y2mZxD5t

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 28, 2023

Draymond's on-court antics this season have been a bit much.... even for a player with his reputation. 

He's currently amid a suspension which will continue into the new year. The volatility he brings is something to note. Not only has he cost the Warriors a plethora of points with technical fouls and ejections, but he's also cost the team winnable games in the process.

Green isn't the defender he once was athletically, but he's still one of the smartest players in all of basketball. His pedigree is legitimate, and there's a reason Steph Curry continually goes to bat for him despite the unsavory elements of Green's game. 

Reaves would in theory give the Warriors another shot creator alongside Curry. He can play on the ball, off the ball, and has even shown the propensity to be a lead-scoring option down the stretch of playoff games. 

Green's respect for LeBron James is well-known at this point. While the Lakers' offense could struggle even further with spacing and shooting, Green's defensive chops would positively impact the team. Duly, his passing ability might unlock some things for both James and Anthony Davis. 

While the likelihood of this deal going through is rather low, it's still fun to think about from a fantasy standpoint. It's hard to imagine the Lakers trading arguably its best young asset for an aging star with a penchant for self-inflicted wounds.