The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a great start to the 2025-26 season.
The Lakers entered the season dealing with several injuries, yet they haven’t let that slow them down. A major reason for their strong play has been the emergence of Austin Reaves, who’s stepped up as the team’s clear third-best player.
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Reaves has been a revelation for the Lakers. He’s in his fifth season in the purple and gold and has improved year in and year out. This could be the 27-year-old’s last season in LA, as he is projected to be an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason.
Because of that, there is a chance (albeit a small one) that Reaves is moved prior to the trade deadline. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report posed an interesting question — should the Lakers consider selling high on Reaves this season?
In his most recent piece, Favale listed the Detroit Pistons as a potential trade partner for Reaves.
“The Detroit Pistons were at their best last season when they had another reliable ball-handling outlet to play in tandem with and independent of Cade Cunningham.
“Between Jaden Ivey’s right knee injury and Caris LeVert’s hamstring issue/slow start, the offense has failed to replicate that element.
“While the Pistons are among the teams scheduled to have cap space over the summer, the restricted-free-agent holds for Ivey and Jalen Duren could remove them from the crop of big-time spenders. Acquiring Reaves and his Bird rights is safer. His arrival also safeguards them against Ivey not panning out.
“Ausar Thompson is almost assuredly off the table in any negotiation, but Detroit can construct something around some combination of Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland II and first-round picks. Duren could be on the table as well, though the Lakers would have to be smitten with the idea of bankrolling his next deal.”
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The Lakers likely wouldn’t trade Reaves unless it is for a mega superstar. As things stand, there has been no indication that a superstar will be traded, but it is still early in the season.
If that is the case, the Lakers will be in the running, and Reaves could be the main piece in that potential trade — although with his relatively agreeable (i.e. below-market) contract, Los Angeles would need to package other players in a deal for a maximum-salaried opposing star. Nonetheless, he’s been great for Los Angeles, averaging 31.1 points per game, 9.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 37.9 minutes of action.
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