The Los Angeles Lakers were abruptly bounced from the 2025 NBA Playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a demoralizing five-game first-round series defeat.
Though he showed proved to be one of their brightest stars during the regular season, 26-year-old guard Austin Reaves was nowhere to be found against Minnesota.
Reaves contributed a respectable 16.2 points and 5.4 rebounds as the tertiary option on a team led by Luka Dončić and LeBron James in the playoffs, but his efficiency cratered, as evidenced by a 51.1% effective field goal percentage for the series.
Following Los Angeles’ disappointing defeat, and with their need for a dominant center growing by the day, one NBA writer made it a mission to express his desire for the Lakers to trade the homegrown star for an intimidating paint presence, no matter how hard of a pill it may be for the organization to swallow.
“I love him like you love him,” Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke wrote Sunday.
“But it’s time.”
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“Austin Reaves is the Lakers’ breath of fresh air, a sharpshooting respite from all the drama and dirge, a stirring journey from undrafted to indefatigable. My favorite, everybody’s favorite. But it’s time.”
“Send him packing in a deal that brings the Lakers the sort of lob partner and rim protector whose absence knocked you out of the postseason.”
“Use him as the most attractive asset that could lure the sort of behemoth that could help this group bully their way back into contention.”
“You say you want to build around Luka Doncic? Start with uprooting Reaves.”
“He was lousy on offense, shooting barely 30% from deep. He was lousy on defense, constantly beaten by the Timberwolves’ more athletic backcourt.”
Even after authoring a sensational 2024-25 regular season, with averages of 20.2 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds, it’s understandable that some may be calling for the talented shooting guard’s involvement in a massive trade to bring the Lakers a connective frontcourt piece.
Reaves’ offensive skillset could be described as ‘redundant’ when paired with two of the greatest passing talents the game has ever seen, making him a candidate to be moved this offseason.
To no fault of his own, it’s possible that their general manager Rob Pelinka floats his name into trade discussions. After all, Anthony Davis was shockingly sent to the Dallas Mavericks with no warning in the league-shattering mid-season swap for Dončić prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Lakers’ personnel could change drastically, especially if Pelinka chooses to explore his options with regard to a stunning Reaves deal.
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