NBA analyst Bill Simmons sent shockwaves across Laker Nation this week by confidently declaring that Austin Reaves will be traded this summer.
His bold take comes on the heels of the Los Angeles Lakers’ disappointing first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite having LeBron James and Luka Doncic, Los Angeles looked outmatched and outclassed, and Simmons believes the front office will respond by shaking up the roster.
“When Reaves gets traded this summer, and he will get traded, the stuff they [Lakers] get back for him is gonna make it seem worse that they [Mavericks] didn't get him in the trade."
That trade might soon haunt them.
Reaves, 26, is coming off a breakout season where he averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 percent from three.
More importantly, he emerged as the Lakers' third-best player behind Luka and LeBron, but his value might now be too high for the Lakers to ignore.
There are two major factors fueling Simmons’ prediction. First, Reaves is eligible for a new deal and could command over $40 million annually on the open market if he opts out of his current extension.
Second, the Lakers are in win-now mode and might view Reaves, a rising star still on a team-friendly deal, as their best trade chip to bring in a third All-Star.
The buzz around a potential Reaves deal is intensifying as rival teams circle. The Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Portland Trail Blazers have already been linked as trade partners, each able to offer either a star player or draft capital in return.
Reaves’ popularity with fans and strong chemistry with LeBron might make trading him difficult emotionally, but the Lakers are under pressure to deliver another championship before LeBron’s eventual retirement. They already took a huge swing by trading for Doncic. Now they may have to swing again.
In Simmons’ eyes, that next move is inevitable.
With Reaves’ value at an all-time high, JJ Redick looking to reshape the system in his own image, and Rob Pelinka known for bold moves, it wouldn’t be shocking if Simmons is right.
For Lakers fans, the idea of seeing Reaves in another jersey may be tough to accept, but if the return includes another All-Star, the franchise might not hesitate to pull the trigger.
And if that happens, as Simmons warns, the Mavericks might be kicking themselves even harder for not landing him when they had the chance.
