The Lakers have spent the summer reshaping everything around Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves is right in the middle of that shift.
With LeBron James gone after nine seasons, Los Angeles has moved fully into a new phase, but the front office still had one major piece of business to settle. Reaves got his deal done, and the guard’s new contract gives the Lakers some breathing room going forward.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that Reaves, who had initially agreed to a four-year, $185 million extension with a player option in the final season, ultimately signed a four-year, $180 million deal. McMenamin also wrote that the decision “will give the Lakers more financial flexibility moving forward -- making it possible to pursue a player with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception next summer.
In the meantime, Reaves will be relied on more than he ever was in his first five years in Los Angeles to lead the Lakers alongside Luka Doncic.”
At the same time, Los Angeles made a huge swing for its center of the future in Walker Kessler. The move didn’t come cheap. ESPN reported that the Lakers landed Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, plus first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
That trade may have solved one problem while creating another. NBA insider Zach Lowe said the price tag could leave the Lakers boxed in when it comes to future roster moves, with Reaves emerging as the most obvious name to watch.
“There’s no question that they overpaid for him [Walker Kessler] and are now trapped with this team and have to figure out: either this is the team or is there a way to pivot by trading Austin Reaves down the line or something like that. They are out of tradeable assets because of the Walker Kessler deal,” Lowe said.
The logic is straightforward: Doncic is not the player the Lakers are likely to move, which makes Reaves the kind of asset that could draw serious interest if Los Angeles ever needs to retool again. He has grown into a star in LA, and that kind of production carries real value in any future deal.
For now, though, Reaves is still part of the plan. The question is whether the Kessler trade has narrowed the Lakers’ options enough that his long-term future in Los Angeles is no longer as secure as it once looked.
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The Lakers are still working the trade market as they try to fill a hole at starting power forward, and the search has started to pull in some familiar names. Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht have been floated in that process, while Los Angeles has also put a sign-and-trade offer on the table for Jonathan Kuminga as part of a package valued around $45 million. No deal has come together yet, but the framework has created enough movement to keep rival teams watching closely.
One of the more interesting possibilities has Atlanta dragged into the discussion, with a three-team setup that would reshape more than just the Lakers frontcourt. In that version, Los Angeles would be aiming to land Kuminga and Mo Gueye, while the Hawks and Trail Blazers would each have reason to weigh what they get back. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious enough to make this more than a passing rumor, but the final structure still has to hold together before anyone can treat it as real. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Situation Just Got More Interesting For The Lakers
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For now, though, the situation is still very much in the discussion phase. Dallas is not working on a buyout with Thompson, and there have been no active trade or buyout moves to signal where this goes next. The Mavericks are still open to trading him rather than simply letting him leave without return, which keeps the door cracked for teams like the Lakers and Heat, even if the path to a deal is still anything but clear. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Roster Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable For Playoff Hopes
The Lakers roster chatter has shifted from whether they can get in to whether this group is actually equipped to do anything once it does. Channing Frye added to that conversation by questioning the ceiling of Los Angeles new-look lineup, saying the team may be good enough to reach the playoffs but does not look built to battle the better teams on the other side. His comparison to the Mavericks around Luka Doncic underscored the concern, with Frye pointing to a gap in athleticism and defensive ability.
For a Lakers team still sorting through roster moves and weighing possible additions, the skepticism lands at an uncomfortable time. The front office can keep searching for the right fit, but the bigger issue is whether the current construction matches what postseason basketball demands. If the Lakers are going to quiet the doubts, they will have to show that the pieces around their stars can hold up against the leagues more complete teams, not just survive the regular season grind. [Read more 🡒]