Lakers can’t trade ‘untouchable’ Austin Reaves for anything less than a star amid NBA rumors | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers need time to get a better idea of ​​what they can and cannot do during the 2024-25 NBA season.

Should this trial prove – or at least suggest – that the Purple and Gold do not have enough to challenge for the crown, they may have to reconsider their position on a key contributor.

That player is fourth-year guard Austin Reaves, perhaps the biggest internal success story for this front office. They brought him in as an undrafted player on a two-way deal and have since watched him develop into a high-mileage starter who plays one of the most crucial roles in this offense.

Now add in the fact that he plays with one of the best non-rookies in the league contractsand it’s easy to see why the franchise would like to have him around.

So much so that they have deemed him “virtually untouchable” in previous conversations, according to The Athletic’s. Sam Amick.

There’s a gray area here, as virtually untouchable has a bit of wiggle room. But if the Lakers essentially torpedoed trade talks for Reaves before they even started, that feels like a step too far.

He is a rock solid support piece. He can handle and create, but he’s just as comfortable (and capable) adding value to the attack off the ball. He takes smart shots and makes smart cuts. He competes defensively.

He’s the kind of player that any candidate could play a complementary role with.

But what happens when LeBron James and Anthony Davis need more help? Is there actually another level that the 26-year-old Reaves can reach?

That feels quite optimistic. To his credit, he has been playing some of his best basketball early this season. Per-game contributions of 16.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists are nothing to sneeze at, especially when they come from a player who shoots 52.5 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from the field .

On the other hand, we are looking at an example of five games. And two of those five games weren’t great. That’s not to say it’s impossible for him to keep up this production, but it’s just too early to tell.

This volume feels about right for his role (he averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds last season), but the efficiency may be a bit overstated. Either way, we’re talking about a really good role player with an excellent contract.

The Lakers would be wise to ask for a good amount of money in return for him. It would also be foolish to dismiss the mere idea of ​​a Reaves deal out of hand. They may need a substantial upgrade at some point, and he is their best hope to get that kind of trade done.

LA has other trading assets, but they may not be as coveted as people think. As Amick shared, a package built around D’Angelo Russell and “multiple first-round picks” wouldn’t interest the Utah Jazz in a deal for Walker Kessler.

Assuming this isn’t a bluff — which feels like enough for an inland big man — that’s an unencouraging impression of how the market views the Lakers’ asset collection. That’s why if they really want to move the needle, they might have to leave Reaves dangling. (Whatever theoretical value Jalen Hood-Schifino had in the 2023 first round is likely out of the question for the club decreasing his third-year option.)

They need Reaves to pull off any kind of big trade, but that only makes sense if it’s a trade of that magnitude. He’s one of the Association’s better support players, so sending him out for another high-end role player wouldn’t accomplish anything.

Put a legitimate star on the table, though, and LA’s “untouchable” role player should be very tangible.