Is It Time for the Lakers to Trade Austin Reaves?

The Lakers have a lot of thinking to do this offseason about how to improve the roster. In theory, the idea would be to fill in areas of need—starting with center but not ending there—around the core of Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves. But the challenge comes in getting players good enough to meaningfully improve the team without having to give up ... well, it's not going to be Luka, and they can't trade LeBron. 

So is Austin Reaves on the trade block? Should he be? 

After all, he's coming off a horrendous playoff series against Minnesota where he was, relative to expectations and need, the most significant underperformer on the team. There's an argument to be made (one that's been made by some) that the postseason revealed lasting shortcomings for Reaves as an individual, and more broadly for the Reaves/Dončić defensive combination, in the playoffs specifically. What makes it complicated? Reaves was really good this year. He was one of only 12 players to average more than 20 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He's improved every year, and is still not fully in his prime. And in the regular season, the two-man combo with him and Luka was well above water (+6.5 net rating). 

So the idea that he has to go? Maybe that's extreme. But the idea he could go? It would be dereliction of duty not to consider it for the right players. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Is it time to trade Reaves? 

SEGMENT 2: What works, what doesn't? 

SEGMENT 3: What's the upside? 

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