Giannis Antetokunmpo is at the center of trade discussions, with both Shams Charania and Jamal Collier of ESPN reporting the superstar and his team, the Milwaukee Bucks, are having conversations about their future together.
One such team that would be intrigued by the possibility of adding a former two-time MVP and NBA champion to their roster is the Los Angeles Lakers but as Jovan Buha reported on his Lakers Lounge podcast, “the ideal construction is probably Austin on a max contract plus the three picks.”
Except, the Lakers cannot trade more than one first-rounder until after the season, at which point it would have had to have signed Reaves to a max deal, too. While the latter should absolutely happen, it should not be in preparation for a trade that would send the 27-year-old anywhere.
Instead, Los Angeles must resist the urge to trade for Giannis, instead focusing on the core players it has at its disposal right now, with Reaves being one of them.
The undrafted guard out of the University of Oklahoma has steadily improved to become a cornerstone of a Lakers team that is second in a loaded Western Conference and has a legitimate chance to play for an NBA title this season.
Reaves is averaging 28.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and is shooting 52.6 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc. His on-court chemistry with the face of the Lakers present and future, Luka Dončić, has been undeniable and is a key reason the team was able to weather LeBron James’ absence early on and become one of the best in the West.
A young star-in-the-making, coming into his own and earning that max contract, he is someone the Lakers could have on their team for the next decade, keeping them in playoff and title contention and partnering with Dončić to bring about the next great era in team history.
His defense, once a valid concern, has improved and he has proven himself a legitimate No. 2 in the league, setting the table nicely for James’ return from his bout with sciatica.
While Giannis would be a legitimate third superstar to go with Dončić and James, team chemistry would be a concern. There would almost certainly be a step back, or several, before the team could take that next step forward and by the time that happens, who knows how far back the team would fall in the standings.
There is also a real possibility that the stars never gel, as was the case with the Bucks star and Damian Lillard when they joined forces.
That there are only so many shots to go around is another concern.
The uncertainty with Giannis, coupled with the player that Reaves is becoming in front of our very eyes and the potential to add to the duo of him and Dončić through the draft in the coming years, makes a potential trade too risky and wholly unnecessary.
Leave things as they are, let the stars already in place continue to propel the team forward, and find a role player who can provide depth and possibly be a difference maker in the playoffs, and hope Oklahoma City stumbles along the way.
Reaves has proven that he is the answer to the question, “who is the third star on this team?”
Let him, not Giannis, be that star.
