The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been able to get their feet under them this season so far. Despite having three All-Stars on the roster and giving out big contracts to role players, the team hasn’t lived up to the hype so far. As the trade deadline approaches, the Lakers are once again in talks with other teams, looking to make a big splash, and being involved in rumours with other stars from around the league. One prospect that has been at the top of the list for the Lakers is Dejounte Murray.
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The Atlanta Hawks guard is someone that the Lakers have been eyeing to get, probably building up a trade package before the February 8 deadline. As per the rumours, almost anyone and everyone on the Lakers roster is up for a trade. Anthony Davis and LeBron James may not be a part of this conversation but names like Austin Reaves have been thrown into the mix.
Veteran NBA analyst Skip Bayless on the other hand does not think that trading a player like Austin Reaves would be a wise move on the Lakers’ part. After the Lakers’ win over the Boston Celtics tonight, Bayless was not on board with the team parting ways with Reaves.
The 72-year-old TV host praised Reaves and strongly emphasized his fearlessness on the court, especially after tonight’s performance. Bayless mentioned how it would be beneficial for Los Angeles to keep Austin Reaves around in the future.
The Undisputed host went on X and tweeted his disbelief over the Lakers even considering trading a player like Austin Reaves for Dejounte Murray.
“And the Lakers should or even would consider giving up Austin Reaves for Dejounte Murray??? STOP IT. AR just scored 32 at Boston on 7-10 threes WITHOUT A TURNOVER. Doesn’t play D like Dejounte, but more valuable. Just knows how to play, fearlessly.”
And the Lakers should or even would consider giving up Austin Reaves for Dejounte Murray??? STOP IT. AR just scored 32 at Boston on 7-10 threes WITHOUT A TURNOVER. Doesn’t play D like Dejounte, but more valuable. Just knows how to play, fearlessly.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 2, 2024
After dropping their last two games, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to bounce back with a 114-105 win over the Boston Celtics. With no LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup, Austin Reaves rose to the occasion.
Reaves led his team in scoring, finishing the night with 32 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds for the game. He shot 7-10 from the three-point line, shooting 70% from beyond the arc and 55.6 % from the field with his 10-18 shooting.
Austin Reaves tonight:
32 points (10/18 FG)Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown combined:
31 points (12/33 FG) pic.twitter.com/wsHb5UW9bJ— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 2, 2024
Reaves ended up taking on the number one-seeded Boston Celtics team in the Eastern Conference. Boston had their full squad available, battling with complete strength. Yet, Reaves rallied the Lakers to a victory, something that Skip Bayless was emphasizing in his tweet.
The Los Angeles Lakers made the mistake of trading away their young and promising core back in the late 2010s. Though the team eventually won a championship, they sacrificed years of developing talent in their backyard. So, the Lakers could consider keeping Reaves as the first player in the lineup of a post-LeBron-AD era.
Should the Lakers part ways with Austin Reaves?
The Los Angeles Lakers targeting Dejounte Murray has gained enough traction around the NBA world for it to be considered old news now. However, there are other players that the Purple & Gold have been eyeing alongside Murray as well.
According to Shams Charania, Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Royce O’Neale are three players that the Los Angeles Lakers have their eye on from the Brooklyn Nets roster as well.
As per their contracts, D’Angelo Russell might be the viable option for the Lakers to offer if a trade does fall through. Russell was a crucial part of the team last season after he was acquired before the trade deadline. And it seems as if the Lakers are viewing him as a trading option. So, D-Lo might soon be packing his bags to move to his new team and city.
But one serious question that may haunt Laker fans, will the Los Angeles Lakers be able to turn things around with one or multiple trades? Will it be enough for them to make one more push to an NBA championship during LeBron James’ twilight years?
The world will find out what will happen as the season progresses further.
