The Los Angeles Lakers, with LeBron James and Co., were supposed to make a deep playoff run this season. However, despite adding Luka Doncic to their ranks, they were humiliated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. Nonetheless, they still had a few bright spots to look up to this season. One of them is none other than their shooting guard, Austin Reaves. The Lakers guard has garnered a lot of attention throughout the season and rightly so, fitting into the trio narrative of King and Luka. While this might make you think that the Lakers should do everything to keep him, LeBron James’ close friend thinks otherwise.
Although the trade talks around Austin Reaves have been going on for some time now, Shannon Sharpe’s latest statement made things much more interesting. “You’re gonna go somewhere and get a big payday anyway. You ain’t trying to stay with the Lakers when you get $200 million, and they can’t give you that.. But those three guys aren’t gonna win anything.” The NBA analyst acknowledged the value that LA could get by potentially trading away Reaves. He mentioned AR because the shooting guard is eligible to ink a $89.2 million four-year extension. However, he’s not expected to sign that. Why?
That’s because instead of signing that deal, Austin Reaves could wait another year to become an unrestricted free agent and acquire a much more lucrative $42.5 million per year deal in 2026. Sounds like a huge pay for the guard. That’s exactly what Sharpe pointed out. He stated that the Lakers cannot afford it. However, most importantly, Shannon emphasized that the trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves isn’t going to bring any championships to Southern California. While you can argue with the former NFL star, he sure does have a point.
We’ve all seen that the Lakers have several gaps in their roster that they need to fill before dreaming of a title. The most notable position being, center. At the five is where LA lacks the most ever since Anthony Davis left the team. So, while there’s no doubt that Reaves has come a long way from going undrafted to averaging 20.2 points along with 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists, it’s better to trade him to address the gaps in their roster.
Shannon Sharpe Urges Lakers to Trade Austin Reaves:
“You’re gonna go somewhere and get a big payday anyway. You ain’t trying to stay with the Lakers when you get $200 million, and they can’t give you that.. But those three guys aren’t gonna win anything.” (via @ClubShayShay) pic.twitter.com/I0RAyOAI2D
— Lakers Better (@LakersBetter) May 30, 2025
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how Rob Pelinka and the rest of the Lakers’ front office approach this precarious situation. Meanwhile, a solid Austin Reaves has already been identified.
The Los Angeles Lakers identify a $112 million replacement for Austin Reaves
Austin Reaves has had a phenomenal campaign for the Los Angeles Lakers. The third-year guard emerged as the team’s X-factor this season. Not many expected AR to touch the heights he did in the regular season, averaging 20+ points. But after seeing him dominate, the Lakers Nation wanted him to recreate that magic in the postseason, something the 27-year-old failed miserably at. However, that’s not the only reason his name has been popping up in trade rumors; a part of it also has to do with his contract situation.
Still, there’s a lot that has to be sorted before the Lakers’ front office can make a final decision on Reaves. However, it seems that if Austin Reaves leaves Los Angeles, they already have his replacement figured out. Who? You might ask. Well, it’s none other than New Orleans Pelicans star, Trey Murphy III. The 24-year-old is currently on a four-year $112 million deal that is set to run through the 2028-29 season. This rumor gained traction after NBA Insider, Kevin O’Connor, reported that the Pelicans have “no untouchable players.”
“There are no untouchables in New Orleans. League sources say the Pelicans are gauging the market for everyone on their roster. They very well could end up keeping their core pieces, namely Zion Williamson, but it appears the Pelicans are looking into taking different paths this summer, depending on what opportunities become available.” O’Connor stated.
Image Credits: IMAGN
If that’s the case, it would give the Lakers a good opportunity to acquire Trey Murphy III, while also acquiring assets to bring in a new center by trading Austin Reaves. However, as of now, these are mere rumors, as we keep a close eye on developments in Los Angeles during the offseason.
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