Massive Trade Proposal Has Lakers Move on From Austin Reaves

Now, Minnesota will face off against the revamped Golden State Warriors in the second round. The Lakers, meanwhile, head into an offseason searching for answers.

Los Angeles forwards LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith both have player options for the 2025-26 season, while All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic will become eligible for a massive contract extension on August 2.

It will fall to newly extended and promoted team president Rob Pelinka to make some tough decisions on the club's personnel going forward, as the team looks to reconstruct itself in Doncic's image.

Spencer See of ClutchPoints suggests that it may be time for the Lakers to move on from their third-best player, shooting guard Austin Reaves. The 6-foot-5 swingman is on a terrifically below-market contract, and overlaps with Doncic in both skills and weaknesses.

See's proposal would bring in a true rim-rolling starting-caliber center to pair with Doncic, while offloading Reaves — a contract with the Brooklyn Nets.

Lakers receive: Nic Claxton

Nets receive: Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and Maxi Kleber

"Claxton had an underwhelming 2024-25 season, putting up only 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. The Brooklyn Nets are also expected to be major sellers during the offseason, given that they've been hinting at a rebuild for quite some time now.

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Last season with Brooklyn, Claxton actually regressed a bit. The 6-foot-11 big man out of Georgia, 26, averaged 10.3 points on 56.3 percent shooting from the field and 51.3 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 7.4 boards, 2.2 dimes, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals in 70 healthy contests.

During his best season, a turbulent 2022-23 run while on a 45-37 Nets squad, Claxton finished ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

"Claxton just finished the first season of the four-year contract worth $97 million he signed back in 2024. In order to match his salary, the Lakers can come up with a package headlined by Reaves, to go along with Dalton Knecht and Maxi Kleber," See posits.

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Reaves had a solid regular season, but was underwhelming in the playoffs. Reaves averaged 16.2 points, relatively in line with his playoff output in years past, but shot just .411/.319/.857. He also chipped in 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 0.6 blocks, but offered little resistance on the wing against the Timberwolves' perimeter pieces.

Now, it appears there may have been an underlying reason behind Reaves' struggles. Sources inform Trevor Lane of "The Front Office Show" that Reaves was playing through a left big toe sprain that would have cost him two-to-four weeks during the regular season.

"Although Claxton is coming off a mediocre season, having him play alongside Luka should inject some excitement back into Los Angeles," writes See. "On paper, his skillset is easily what the doctor had ordered for the Lakers."

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