The Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls have been tied together in several trade rumors this season. As per several reports, the Lakers want to bring in the three-time All-Star Zach LaVine, but they don’t want to pay the price that the Bulls are looking for. According to a report by Joe Cowley, the Lakers are not ready to include Austin Reaves in the trade package.
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Ever since the Lakers signed Reaves, he has constantly found ways to impress them. Over the last few seasons, Reaves has become an important part of the team. He has been performing well consistently and has developed his game around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
There have also been rumors about teams looking for Reaves in the past. However, the LA franchise has been adamant about keeping him around. In his report, Cowley mentioned that the Bulls have wanted to move LaVine for a while now. With LA being a desired destination, they are looking to strike a deal that benefits them.
He wrote, “There have been whispers about the Lakers for over a year now, but a source said that the pieces that would have to be swapped don’t fit, and Los Angeles remains steadfast that Austin Reaves isn’t going to be included.” Reaves is a versatile scorer and a secondary ball handler for the Lakers. He is also decent on the defensive end.
The Lakers are not interested in including Austin Reaves in a trade package for Zach LaVine, per @JCowleyHoops
“There have been whispers about the Lakers for over a year now, but a source said that the pieces that would have to be swapped don’t fit, and Los Angeles remains… pic.twitter.com/pcOFYeXZTb
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 25, 2024
In the last game against the Warriors, Reaves had a 26-point triple-double, which helped his team secure a two-point win. After so long, the Lakers now have a homegrown player, and it’s understandable why they want to hold onto him. But without Reaves, the LaVine deal is going to be difficult to pull off.
The Zach LaVine trade scenario without Austin Reaves
If the Lakers were willing to include Reaves in the trade, the deal would’ve been finalized a long time ago. LaVine has a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls and this is his third season with the new deal. Reaves on the other hand is on a four-year, $53.8 million deal and is playing in his second season.
The trade deadline is on the 6th of February, 2025, giving the teams some time to work on a potential trade. The ideal scenario would include the Lakers figuring out a combination of the two first-round picks and D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent to give away for LaVine.
There’s no doubt that LaVine is a better player than Reaves. Once he gets enough time to settle into the new setup, he will also put up big numbers for the team.
