With the NBA offseason currently underway, Austin Reaves and his future with the Los Angeles Lakers continue to be a subject of interest and discussion among members of the basketball community.
As the Lakers are in the middle of a “delicate transition” from the LeBron James era to the Luka Dončić era, Reaves’ role on the team remains unclear. Although he established himself as the third-best player on the Lakers last season, Reaves is limited on the defensive end of the court, which is also why the Lakers made a move to acquire Marcus Smart.
Every team across the league will be looking to utilize their best trade asset effectively, and Reaves is just that for the Lakers heading into this season. That said, let us take a closer look at a potential trade involving Reaves that could help Dončić and the Lakers.
Can the Lakers Acquire Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin for Austin Reaves and a Draft Pick?
Given that Reaves is 27 years old and on an expiring contract, many wonder if the Lakers will retain him in the long term or trade him to another team. Since Reaves might leave the Lakers empty-handed as a free agent, it might make more sense for the team to figure out a trade rather than stalling contract negotiations.
According to a report from Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, a potential trade with the Dallas Mavericks would greatly help the Lakers. In this trade, the Lakers would send Reaves and a 2031 first-round pick to the Mavericks in return for Dereck Lively II and Caleb Martin.
“He’s a really good player. He’s also not a great trade asset. His growth potential is probably limited by his age (27), and he might be super expensive by this time next year. One executive recently told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that Reaves “will get $30 [million] plus” on his next contract.”
Buckley concluded, “The Lakers could cross their fingers and give him that kind of coin, but they could also flip him and a future first for Lively, who has established chemistry with Luka Dončić and cornerstone potential on defense, and Martin, a reliable role-playing wing with a proven ability to perform on the postseason stage.”
In all fairness, the Lakers would jump at a chance to make this trade with the Mavericks. After all, Lively played a pivotal role in the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run, and Martin did the same in 2023 with the Miami Heat.
Adding Lively to the Lakers will significantly improve their defense and rim protection. He is already experienced at playing alongside Dončić and has significantly benefited from the Lakers star’s timely lobs during their time together as teammates. Having Lively to provide some backup to Deandre Ayton would be a preferable situation for the Lakers.
Given that the Lakers have also Smart on their roster, it would be in the team’s best interest to consider improving their defense by acquiring stars such as Lively and Martin.
Although the Mavericks are unlikely to agree to this deal, and this is just a hypothetical trade, it’s still a fun idea that fans can leave fans wondering.
Now Luka is running the Lakers Show? They’ll let anyone take over that organization.