Top 5 Austin Reaves Replacements For Lakers Amid Trade Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers are rumored to be willing to part ways with Austin Reaves. Reaves is a really good player who has plenty of value around the league.

It's not that the Lakers want to trade Reaves. They just need a different kind of player than he is. Los Angeles needs more defensive players on the perimeter.

If the Lakers do decide to part ways with Reaves, there are five players who would be good replacements to take his spot. Not all of them are guards, either.

1. Herb Jones

It's hard to get a much better replacement for Reaves than Jones. Jones is still very young and he makes the exact same amount of money that Reaves does.

What would make this so attractive to the Lakers is that Jones is the prototypical 3-and-D wing that the Lakers crave. He would fit perfectly in their starting lineup. Attach a second-round pick, and the Pelicans might go for it.

2. Jrue Holiday

If the Lakers want to get better defensively, trading for one of the best defensive guards would be a good way to go. Holiday might not be as good as he once was offensively, but he is still great defensively.

Trading a couple of contracts to the Celtics would be a great move for Los Angeles. The Celtics get out of his contract, and the Lakers get a great defender at the point of attack.

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3. Nic Claxton

Replacing Reaves doesn't mean that they have to have another guard. Trading him for Claxton would solve the Lakers' biggest issues and make them a better team for years to come.

Adding Maxi Kleber and a pick would make this trade work. The Nets would likely require a first-round pick to trade Claxton, but that certainly can happen.

4. Gabe Vincent

Perhaps the Lakers just decide to replace Reaves internally. If they trade Reaves and get a couple of ancillary pieces in return, Vincent could step into his role.

It's more likely that Vincent is traded for a bigger piece, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that they keep him heading into next year.

5. Jaden Ivey

If the Pistons are looking to make a move next year and advance deeper into the playoffs, adding an offensive player like Reaves might be the way to go. Ivey would be a great return player in that trade.

Ivey is a good defensive player and still has a lot of potential on offense. He's also incredibly young, so that could make things better for Los Angeles.

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