NBA pundit picks Knicks and Raptors as best trade options for Lakers’ rising star

Mannix said: “If I was the Lakers, I would be looking at what they could potentially get for Austin Reaves, not because Austin Reaves is a lesser player. There is some overlap in what Austin Reaves does and what Luka Doncic does.”

Mannix went on to mention that both Toronto and New York have assets that could make a trade work.

“I might look at a team like New York, that has Mikael Bridges, OG Anunoby, three-and-d types of guys,” he said. “The Knicks under Mike Brown are looking to become more diverse offensively; maybe they’d be interested in something like that.”

“I’d look at Toronto and some of the guys they have there. Three-and-D guys make more sense for the Lakers with Luka and LeBron than Austin Reaves necessarily does,” Mannix added.

Reaves has elevated his game for the Lakers

Reaves joined the Lakers as an undrafted player, but in his rookie season he showed great potential and became a key part of their roster.

In his sophomore year, the Lakers made it to the playoffs, and that was when Reaves completely showed LA what he was capable of.

Since then, Reaves has continued working on his game, delivering brilliant performances for the Purple and Gold.

The 2024-25 season was his best for the team as he averaged 20 points and stepped up when James and Doncic were absent.

Doncic specifically praised Reaves’ game and stated that he has enjoyed playing alongside the 27-year-old.

Indications are that James could be on his way out of LA after this season, which means they will need a player to support Doncic.

Although Reaves is not the star the Lakers are used to, he has all the tools to be a great player for the organization.

They are planning for their future, and if Reaves continues playing well, he could be a part of it and help Doncic in making the Lakers great again.