Lakers Pressured to Trade Surprise Star in Blockbuster Deal

The Los Angeles Lakers are reaping the benefits of their early confidence in guard Austin Reaves.

Once an undrafted two-way player, Reaves is averaging the 11th-most points per game in the NBA with 26.6, adding 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds. Reaves' absence was a major factor in Thursday's loss to the Houston Rockets, as Reaves had 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 15 minutes before exiting with a calf injury.

Reaves is expected to miss at least the next month with a grade 2 strain in his left calf, the team announced on Friday.

Before the injury news, NBA reporter Tom Haberstroh had a controversial take on how the Lakers should handle the rising star.

Because of the Lakers' subpar defense, Haberstroh made his case that the Lakers should consider trading Reaves this season.

“The Lakers aren’t going to go deep in the postseason with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, and they need to make a move sooner than later,” Haberstroh wrote in his latest Substack feature. "All three players deserve better: Doncic needs better defenders and athletes; LeBron can’t be playing 35.4 minutes per game; Reaves deserves a chance to be The Guy.”

LA's Big Three A Major Plus on Offense, But...

The trio of Lakers stars has been dominant on the offensive end, with Doncic playing at an MVP level and James showing his efficiency, even as he prepares to turn 41 years old.

However, the Lakers' defensive woes have found them in the middle of a three-game losing streak. All season, they have struggled to keep pace with the Western Conference's top teams, with their poor effort on defense the primary reason.

“Having multiple guys who need to be hid defensively spreads a defense thin. Three guys? It’s untenable. For those who are serious about winning,” Haberstroh wrote.

While many in Los Angeles are expecting Reaves to sign with the team in free agency next summer, Haberstroh believes Reaves is the best of few available trade assets for the Lakers this season as they seek to make significant roster upgrades.

“He’s clearly ready to be The Guy, but the Lakers can’t accommodate that in a basketball sense,” Haberstroh wrote.