Lakers news: why LA keeps saying no to Austin Reaves trades
Key takeaways
- Reports say the Lakers keep refusing to trade Austin Reaves, even for star guards like Kyrie Irving.
- Reaves signed a four-year deal worth 180 million dollars in the offseason.
- The Lakers would only move Reaves for a clear upgrade, insiders say, and that bar is very high.
The Lakers keep saying no. Trade talk keeps linking them to big stars. Yet Austin Reaves stays put.
That is the core of the latest Lakers news. Reports say the team has passed on star-level deals for years. The reason is simple.
The Lakers see Reaves as a core piece, not a trade chip.
What happened
The latest round of reports centers on Kyrie Irving. Irving is a nine-time All-Star guard now with the Dallas Mavericks. He once played with Luka Doncic in Dallas.
The pair reached the NBA Finals together there in 2024.
Lakers reporter Jovan Buha spoke about the link on his podcast, "Buha's Block." His point was blunt. "Lakers could have had Kyrie if they were willing to give up Austin, and they said no," Buha said, according to Heavy.
He added that the Lakers kept Reaves out of the Luka Doncic trade too.
Buha said the team has faced this choice more than once. Over the years, the Lakers could have chased Dejounte Murray, Zach LaVine, De'Aaron Fox, and Trae Young. Each time, the price would have included Reaves.
Each time, the team said no, Heavy reported.
The Lakers then locked Reaves in. He signed a four-year deal worth 180 million dollars in the offseason, Heavy reported. He did so after opting out of a 14.9 million dollar player option, according to SSBCrack News.
That deal runs through the end of the 2029-30 season. It signals that the Lakers see him as a long-term co-star for Doncic.
The reports also sketch the one path to a deal. The Lakers would only move Reaves for a clear upgrade, sources told SSBCrack News. The names in that tier include Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Scottie Barnes, and Jaylen Brown.
In short, the price for Reaves is another top star, not a side piece.
Why it matters
To grasp the Lakers' stance, look at what Reaves brings. He is 28 years old. He runs the offense, hits big shots, and closes games.
Last season he posted career highs of 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists over 51 games, SSBCrack News reported. He has grown from an undrafted player on a two-way deal into a key starter.
His fit with Doncic is the key. Doncic needs a guard who can share the playmaking load. Reaves does that job.
He can run pick-and-roll sets. He can shoot off the catch. He can take over late in games.
If the Lakers traded him, they would need to replace all of that at once.
Buha made that point on his podcast. "If you trade Austin, you need to replace that," he said, according to SSBCrack News. He warned that losing Reaves would put far more on Doncic.
That is a risk the Lakers do not want to take.
The Kyrie case shows the trade-off. Irving is a bigger name with a richer highlight reel. But he is 34 and coming off a torn ACL, Heavy reported.
HoopBeat reported that Irving tore his left ACL in March 2025 and missed the whole 2025-26 season. He is set to earn more than 39 million dollars next season. He is also targeting a return for the 2026-27 season.
Fit is the other issue. NBA insider Jake Fischer told BasketNews that Irving is "a little bit redundant with Austin Reaves," HoopBeat reported. Both men do the same job on offense.
Both need the ball to be at their best. Paying a huge salary for a double of your own guard is a hard sell.
The Lakers' past also shapes this call. They have chased stars for years. Sometimes that worked.
Sometimes it left the roster thin and old. Keeping a 28-year-old guard on a long deal is the steadier path. It gives the team a known core around Doncic, who is 27 and entering his prime.
What happens next
First, expect the rumors to keep coming. The Lakers are always in trade talk. If the team starts slow, Reaves will pop up in fresh rumors.
The reports say the front office will listen, but only for a true upgrade. That bar will stay high.
Second, watch the trade deadline. That is when talks get real. A team that falls short may offer a star.
The Lakers would then weigh the deal against the cost of losing Reaves. For now, the reports point to patience, not a splashy move.
Third, watch Reaves on the court. His value rises with his play. A strong season would make the Lakers even less keen to move him.
It would also raise the price any rival must pay. The preseason slate shows how fast teams are testing new looks before the games count.
Fourth, watch the Irving track on its own. Irving remains a trade name around the league. The belief is that Irving and the Mavericks could work together on a deal before the midseason deadline, Heavy reported.
That does not mean the Lakers will be the partner. The reports say the Lakers have had their chance and passed.
The bottom line is clear. The Lakers are not shopping Reaves. They are guarding him.
Any team that wants him must bring a star of equal or higher value. Until that offer arrives, the Lakers will build around Doncic and Reaves and see how far that pair can go.
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