Lakers are willing to trade Austin Reaves only for an All-Star

At the start of the 2023-24 season, several analysts touted Austin Reaves as a member of the Lakers' new Big 3 alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The hype was justified considering Reaves played a critical role in the Lakers’ run to the postseason last year, averaging nearly 17 points while shooting an impressive 44 percent from the three-point arc.

Midway through the season, the question beckons: Has Reaves justified his star billing? The objective answer? No. Despite averaging a career-high 14.9 points and 5.2 assists, Reaves is shooting a paltry 34 percent from three and his perimeter defense has been suspect at best.

As such, does Reaves justify the “untouchable” tag many placed on him before the season? According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, the Lakers would be willing to trade Reaves, but only for a bonafide All-Star.

"They have no interest in trading Reaves," Buha wrote of the Lakers front office. "The exception would be in a deal for a clear-cut third All-Star, with a name like Lauri Markannen being the only player of that ilk potentially available on the trade market (and an unrealistic option for the Lakers, to be clear)."

Buha’s reporting on Reaves was in response to a hypothetical trade scenario that would send Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. Buha clarified that the Lakers would "reject" such a deal.

"They aren’t considering trading Reaves for Dejounte Murray, for example, and I think most would say Murray is better than Bogdanovic," added Buha.  

Previously, the Lakers were reportedly engaged in talks with the Atlanta Hawks on a trade centered around D’Angelo Russell and Dejounte Murray. However, Marc Stein reported Sunday that the Lakers are having second thoughts about shipping Russell owing to his recent hot streak as a starter.

With Buha ruling out the possibility of Los Angeles trading Reaves for Murray, it remains to be seen if GM Rob Pelinka pulls out all the stops to form an actual Big 3 ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.