The Los Angeles Lakers front office are trying to decide between two players as they look to build around Luka Doncic.
The Los Angeles Lakers have already begun preparing for their next season. With their first full season being led by Luka Doncic, expectations are high.
Luka Doncic’s recent appearance at a Real Madrid game showed fans that he is in the best shape of his career.
As such, Lakers fans will want to see their team capitalize on Luka’s improved conditioning with better teammates that can lead to winning.
With no draft picks this year and very little cap flexibility, the Lakers need to make some moves to improve their roster. But the big question the front office is asking is – who do we trade?
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In a report by Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points, it was revealed that the Lakers’ front office is embroiled in a ‘fierce debate’ over who to trade between Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves.
While neither player is on the trading block out of a desire to move them, the franchise understands that moving one of them is the only way to address some of the deficiencies on the roster.
“From there, things get very dicey, very quickly, as, according to league and team sources, a fierce debate has broken out about what to do with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.”
“To be clear, both are extremely well-liked internally. No Lakers decision maker is looking ahead to the day when they can finally rid themselves of two of the better moves any team has made on the margins in recent years.”
“Still, this roster desperately needs a facelift… The sense around the league is, in order to take the steps forward the Lakers are hoping to, they’ll have to part with actual contributors on top of the little draft capital at their disposal.”
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Austin Reaves might be the player to make way for new additions to the Lakers. He is entering the final year of his contract, and Reaves can only earn $89 million if he re-signs with the Lakers.
This is far less than he could make if he signed with another team. However, the Lakers are not ready to trade him away unless they find a star-level center in the trade market.
However, the Lakers are aware that they will have to move Reaves to improve the team. Although this news has seemingly impacted Reaves negatively, as it has upset him quite a bit.
Reaves’ agent recently took a shot at the Lakers, seemingly threatening the franchise about the ramifications of potentially trading him.
