Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) moves to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Austin Reaves' Agent Responds to Reports About Disliking Luka Doncic

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Jul 6, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to improve their roster this offseason so that they can compete for a title. Austin Reaves is a central figure in their plans.

There have been rumors swirling around him that the Lakers might try to trade him in favor of a more defensive-minded player. If they did try to do that, they would need a hefty return.

Along with these trade rumors, there are also rumors that Reaves doesn't like new teammate Luka Doncic. The Lakers acquired Doncic a couple of weeks before the trade deadline.

The rumors have created enough of a stir that Reaves' agent Aaron Reilly had to release a statement regarding the matter.

"Austin has nothing but the utmost respect for Luka and truly enjoys playing alongside him," Reilly said. "Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false. He’s excited to be on the court with Luka—both now and in the future."

Regarding the report that Austin Reaves doesn't like playing with Luka Doncic, Reaves' agent @AMRAgency had this to say:

"Austin has nothing but the utmost respect for Luka and truly enjoys playing alongside him. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false. He’s excited…
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) July 3, 2025

The fact that this is a story could be part of another team trying to leak misinformation in order to get a better price on a Reaves trade. There are several teams that would be interested in adding him.

Reaves proved to be one of the best third-scoring options in the league last year. He set career highs in almost every category this season, showing that he is a really good player.

If Reaves were to get moved to another team, he would have a shot to make an All-Star team. He would get more opportunities to score and be one of the primary offensive options.

That's exactly why the Lakers want to keep him, though. Reaves makes the Lakers offense much more dangerous and extremely hard to stop. When their defense breaks down, they can outscore teams.

More Lakers news: Lakers Expected to Sign Former Warriors Guard in Free Agency: Report

There is a chance that the Lakers will move Reaves at the trade deadline because he is on an expiring contract. He already declined a contract extension from the Lakers this summer.

They might move him at the deadline to make sure that they don't lose him for nothing, as there is a good chance that he moves on at the end of next season to sign for a lot more money.

This past season, Reaves averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. He shot 46 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three.

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This article first appeared on FanNation All Lakers and was syndicated with permission.

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