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🏀 5x5 | Royce Webb
🏀 5x5 | Royce Webb
Is Austin Reaves Good? Or Should the Lakers Trade Him Now?

Is Austin Reaves Good? Or Should the Lakers Trade Him Now?

Is Reaves overrated, or is he the third star L.A. needs to contend again? Let's bring some facts to the situation

Dean Oliver's avatar
Dean Oliver
Feb 01, 2024
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🏀 5x5 | Royce Webb
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Is Austin Reaves Good? Or Should the Lakers Trade Him Now?
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Will the LeBron James-Austin Reaves relationship factor into Reaves’ future? (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)


A week before the NBA trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers are reported to be among the most active teams looking to upgrade. Naturally, in trade talks, other teams are interested in talented Lakers swingman Austin Reaves.

But Reaves is off the table, according to reports. Here’s how Lakers writer Jovan Buha of The Athletic put it: “Reaves isn’t technically untouchable, but he’s close.”

Does this make sense? Is Reaves that good? Or should the struggling Lakers be looking to upgrade with Reaves as trade bait?

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A guest post by
Dean Oliver
Sports analytics pioneer, author of Basketball on Paper, half-blind and the other half taking it all in.
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