Lakers Must Resist Temptation to Trade Austin Reaves Amid NBA, Contract Rumors

It feels that, for the time being, the Los Angeles Lakers are done making moves ahead of the 2025-26 season. However, that isn't going to prevent the L.A. rumor mill from churning.

After all, the Lakers are about to begin their first full season with LeBron James and Luka Dončić as their core—and, potentially, their last. It would make sense to maximize whatever window Los Angeles has with Dončić and the soon-to-be 41-year-old James.

Recent trade buzz has involved the Lakers and Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler. The Lakers, who desperately needed a center last season, have looked at acquiring Kessler before and reportedly will again.

"A league source told Lakers Daily that the Lakers will attempt to trade for Kessler again during the 2025-26 season. LAL tried to trade for Kessler the past two seasons," Ashish Mathur of Lakers Daily wrote.

According to Mathur, the price tag for Kessler is reportedly high.

"One source told Lakers Daily that the Lakers would have to part ways with Austin Reaves and multiple first-round picks to acquire Kessler."

That swap doesn't make a ton of sense for the Lakers, as Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley recently noted. Making a run at Kessler as a restricted free agent next summer would be far more logical—and that's assuming free-agent addition Deandre Ayton doesn't fill the need for a big.

The Lakers shouldn't simply dismiss the idea of Reaves and picks for Kessler, though. They should ignore the temptation to trade Reaves entirely.

The reality is that Reaves is Los Angeles' biggest potential trade chip, unless it is willing to send James elsewhere. However, the Lakers aren't going to get a reasonable return on investment by sending Reaves away.

Is Reaves a perennial All-Star talent? No, but he's a 27-year-old playmaker who averaged more than 20 points per game last season. He may be a third option behind Dončić and James, but he can be a terrific long-term running back for Dončić whenever James' L.A. run ends.

If the Lakers are even going to entertain the idea of a Reaves trade, they should be looking for multiple first-round picks in return, not looking to package him with those picks to get another role-player.

Now, if a legitimate superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo suddenly becomes available? Sure, go ahead and put Reaves on the trade table. Unless that happens, though, Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick should view Reaves as a valuable contributor, not a trade asset.

The other piece of the equation, of course, is Reaves' contract. He declined an extension offer from the Lakers this offseason and can opt out next offseason. Reaves is expected to do just that because he's expected to command a lucrative contract as a free agent.

"The Athletic spoke with team and league sources who expect Reaves to earn more than $35 million a year on his next deal, with sources from two teams (neither being the Lakers) speculating that he could command more than $40 million a year," The Athletic's Dan Woike wrote on Monday.

A subset of Lakers fans undoubtedly believe that Reaves isn't worth anywhere near $40 million per year—though his status as a former undrafted free agent may skew the picture of his perceived value.

There's no guarantee that Pelinka and Co. believe that Reaves is worth his market value either, meaning he could very well leave in free agency.

Wouldn't it be logical to get something in return for him now than lose him for nothing in 2026? Sure, if the Lakers view that as an inevitable outcome. Right now, it isn't.

Reaves has stated that he isn't looking for an outlandish deal and would prefer to stay with the Lakers.

"That's not saying that we're gonna go search for a number that's out of the world," Reaves said, per Woike. "I want to be in L.A."

There's a pretty big gap between the $22.3 million-per-year offer the Lakers were allowed to make this offseason and the $35-40 million annual salary Reaves is expected to command. There's a non-zero chance that Reaves will be willing to take below-market value to stay with the franchise that made him a budding star.

And it's not as if the Lakers can't afford to pay Reaves while making other significant moves. They're projected to have $83.1 million in practical cap space next offseason.

Regardless of how things go with James and Dončić this season, the Lakers' long-term plan involves putting a strong supporting cast around the latter. L.A. should be looking to keep homegrown talents like Reaves, not replace him with pieces who may or may not fit with the franchise.