On Day 1 of the 2024 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers picked Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht with the 17th overall pick, adding some much-needed shooting prowess to the roster. However, his addition prompted speculation that the team could be looking to use guard Austin Reaves as a makeweight in a trade to add a star player to the roster. But NBA insider Shams Charania has squashed those rumors.
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On the Pat McAfee Show, he reported that the Lakers won’t entertain any offers for Reaves. He revealed that new head coach JJ Redick is a massive admirer of the young guard and expects him to be one of the team’s key players next season. Charania said,
“If anyone has seen the way J. J. Redick has been glowing about Austin Reaves… J. J. Redick wants Austin Reaves to really fulfill his potential. Whether that’s been an All-Star caliber player. Whatever it is. He has high hopes for Austin Reaves.”
Lakers Unlikely To Consider Trading Austin Reaves; per @ShamsCharania
"To set the record straight, the Lakers, I don't see any scenario where they're moving Austin Reaves this offseason. If anyone has seen the way J.J. Redick has been glowing about Austin Reaves… J.J. Redick… pic.twitter.com/HJksJP9XX6
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) June 27, 2024
Given that the Lakers might not want to reveal their plans too soon, the statement on Reaves can be taken with a pinch of salt. But when looking deeper into JJ Redick’s playing style, it’s obvious to see that Reaves is pretty similar to his coach. All things considered, making AR-15 untradeable may actually be the Lakers’ stance. His 3-point shooting ability, and his locker-room presence certainly help things for him.
Austin Reaves is one of the Lakers’ most important players
The Lakers view LeBron James and Anthony Davis as untradeable. After all, they were the franchise’s 2 best players last season, both earning All-NBA call-ups. If they were asked to add another player to that list from their current roster, they’d pick Austin Reaves without hesitation.
After joining the Lake Show as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Reaves has seen a meteoric rise to stardom. Averaging almost 16 points last season, Reaves’ three-point shooting ability makes him invaluable for the Lakers, a team that ranked 28th out of 30 teams in three-pointers attempted. His conversion rate of 36% is another mark in his favor.
In addition to his impressive contributions on the court, the 26-year-old guard’s contract is also on a team-friendly deal. He signed a four-year, $54 million contract extension last summer, costing the Lakers about $13.5 million a year.
Given his skill set, his improvement year-on-year, and the cost of retaining him, it’s safe to assume that Reaves will play for the Lakers for the foreseeable future. While there are no guarantees in the NBA, any trade rumors involving the 26-year-old guard can ideally be discarded immediately.
