Austin Reaves' Future With The Lakers Is Up In The Air, With Trade Speculation Heating Up

Austin Reaves has become a key fixture in the Los Angeles Lakers lineup in recent times, and while LeBron James and Luka Dončić are the focal points of this roster, Reaves has become a fantastic third option. However, his future in Los Angeles is reportedly now in jeopardy, and with the young guard already turning down an extension, NBA reporter Jake Weinbach has labeled this as a “situation to monitor.”

That deal was four years, $89.2 million, and while staying with the duo of James and Dončić would be huge for the career of Reaves, there's a great chance that he could get a much better deal on the open market. If things get to that, however, it's highly unlikely that the Lakers will allow him to walk for free, with many expecting the team to use him in trade talks for an upgrade at the deadline if no progression can be made on a potential extension.

In his fourth season with the Lakers, Reaves tallied a career-high of 20 points a night, and while he shot under 40% from three, he was a threat for this star-studded team all season long. While most want Reaves to be a long-term piece for the Lakers, the prevailing belief right now is that he has priced himself out of a team that's now going to build around Dončić and may need to keep paying LeBron James beyond this season, so while an extension is still an option, a trade is becoming a very likely outcome for Reaves in Los Angeles.