Bill Simmons warns NBA about Lakers’ massive trade plans with $53.8M rising star

Having Luka Doncic answers the question of who will lead the LA Lakers after the LeBron James era. However, there are also some uncertainties to consider, such as the Slovenian star's fit and how the front office should build their team to complement his talents.

One NBA analyst's statement suggested that the path to creating a roster that will maximize Doncic's talents is through trading Austin Reaves. In fact, Simmons claimed on his eponymous podcast that the 26-year-old guard will be on the trading block this offseason.

However, that guarantee comes with a warning that LA's front office needs to heed.

"When Reaves gets traded this summer — and he will get traded — the stuff the Lakers get back for him is gonna make it seem worse that the Mavericks didn't get him in the trade," Simmons said.

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Reaves posted career-highs in several statistical categories in 2024. He averaged 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals and was also LA's third-best scorer behind Doncic (28.2) and James (24.4) with 20.2 points per game.

He is in the middle of a four-year, $53,827,872 deal with a player option for the 2026-27 campaign.

The Lakers do not need to rush anything with the breakout star, but he could also be an intriguing trade asset. LA could easily find out what kind of assets they could get back for him by actively dangling him. However, this could end up souring the relationship between the organization and Reaves.

Also read: Austin Reaves' Lakers exit opens up space for $15,000,000 center to aid Luka Doncic & LeBron James in NBA mock trade

Mitchell Robinson linked to the LA Lakers amid their need for a big man

Even before trading away Anthony Davis, the center position has been considered a weakness for the LA Lakers. In fact, Davis himself had asked for a center that he could play alongside.

After the famous trade that landed it Luka Doncic, LA tried to address that issue by acquiring Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets. However, the trade was rescinded after Williams failed his physical.

This coming offseason, a new potential target is being rumored for LA: New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson.

Robinson would be a good fit as a starting center for LA, considering his skill set. He is a solid defender who sends shots back with regularity, and he puts in effort with his rebounding. On offense, he is a great lob target off pick-and-rolls with Doncic.

Still, he has some health concerns, having played only 31 regular-season games in 2023-24 and 17 this year.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann