At the 2024-25 deadline, the Lakers traded with the Mavericks to acquire Luka Doncic. In the process, they gave up Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
While the Lakers added a top-five player in the NBA, they didn’t have the right supporting cast. The 2024-25 Lakers were built around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Now, their star duo is Lebron and Luka Doncic. One NBA insider expects the Lakers to move a key piece of their roster this summer. Bill Simmons said Los Angeles “will” trade Austin Reaves ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Has Austin Reaves already played his final game for the Lakers?
Bill Simmons predicts that the Lakers will trade Austin Reaves
“When Reaves gets traded this summer — and he WILL get traded – the stuff they [Lakers] get back for him is gonna make it seem worse that they [Mavericks] didn’t get him in the trade.”
(h/t @RTNBA ) pic.twitter.com/RKfeIzyqOi
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 12, 2025
In 2021, Austin Reaves went undrafted out of Oklahoma. Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Reaves signed a two-way deal with the Lakers. The 26-year-old has played all four of his professional seasons for Los Angeles. Reaves averaged a career-high 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 2024-25. He started 73 of the Lakers’ 82 games. Recently, one league insider had a strong take on the future of Austin Reaves.
Bill Simmons reported that the Lakers “will” trade Reaves this summer. Despite a career-best season from Reaves, Simmons believes the Lakers will move on from him. The team needs to build around Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Los Angeles might want more spot-up shooters rather than a player like Reaves, who creates his own shot.
Simmons added that the trade package the Lakers receive for Reaves will make the Dallas Mavericks look even worse. Several analysts around the league believe the Lakers should have sent Austin Reaves or another first-round pick in the Luka Doncic trade. Bill Simmons is plugged into the league and is a trusted source. He said the Lakers “will” trade Austin Reaves this summer. Time will tell if Simmons was right and where Reaves will continue his career.
