Zach Lowe Pitches Austin Reaves Trade Idea for Rockets in Fred VanVleet Injury Aftermath

The Houston Rockets have faced a major setback. Fred VanVleet has suffered an ACL injury and been sidelined for the season. The veteran has been a key leader and playmaker for Houston’s young core, and now the team’s backcourt depth is a big concern. With VanVleet out, the Rockets’ options are extremely limited. Their cap situation and roster constraints make signing a free agent difficult, and while the team has young talent, the lack of a proven contributor at the point guard spot is going to cause instability. However, one trade proposal gives them some relief.

Zach Lowe floated a scenario on the Bill Simmons Podcast involving the Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves. “What if things just go very badly this season for Austin Reaves with the Lakers? … You asked me to come off the bench, extension talks … couldn’t really get started … But I’m not sure, like, do you really value me enough in a Luka world?” Lowe framed a highly conditional situation, highlighting the uncertainties that exist in player-team dynamics and how volatile big-market rosters can be.

However, Lowe was quick to clarify that this scenario is far from likely. “No, no, no, I’m not saying that. The Lakers love Austin Reaves. Austin Reaves loves being a Laker. … But we’ve seen more hunky-dory situations go awry before in big markets.” While Reaves has remained loyal to the Lakers and is integral to the team’s current plans, Lowe’s hypothetical shows that, given the right circumstances, a solution might be possible.

(Developing story…)