Lakers May Be Forced to Trade Austin Reaves, Says Zach Lowe

The Los Angeles Lakers could eventually face a difficult decision involving Austin Reaves after committing significant resources to their new-look roster. NBA analyst Zach Lowe believes the franchise has limited avenues left to make major improvements after its blockbuster acquisition of center Walker Kessler.

Lowe’s concern isn’t necessarily that Reaves is a problem on the court. Instead, it is about the Lakers’ financial structure and lack of future trade assets.

The Walker Kessler Deal Changed Everything

The Lakers made a major commitment to Kessler, acquiring him from the Utah Jazz while also giving the 25-year-old center a four-year, $130 million contract.

As part of the deal, Los Angeles surrendered two unprotected first-round picks and two future first-round pick swaps. That dramatically reduced the team’s flexibility for another major trade.

Lowe believes the Lakers effectively put themselves in a position where they now have to make their current roster work—or eventually find another way to restructure it.

Why Austin Reaves Could Become the Trade Piece

The Lakers are heavily invested in three key players: Luka Dončić, Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves.

With so much salary committed to that trio and very few draft assets available, a future blockbuster could require Los Angeles to move one of those players.

Lowe specifically identified Reaves as the most realistic potential trade candidate, suggesting that the Lakers could eventually consider moving him if the current roster fails to produce the desired results.

That does not mean the Lakers are currently looking to trade Reaves. Rather, Lowe is describing a potential future scenario if the team’s current construction doesn’t work.

Reaves Is Coming Off a Strong Season

The possibility is particularly interesting because Reaves has become an important part of the Lakers’ core.

He has developed into a reliable scorer and playmaker alongside Dončić, making the decision to move him much more complicated than simply trading a role player.

The Lakers will therefore have a strong incentive to see how the new roster performs before considering such a drastic move.

Lakers Have Little Room for Error

The Western Conference is packed with talented teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Lowe has previously questioned whether the Lakers have enough flexibility to make significant changes if their current roster falls short.

That makes the upcoming seasons especially important.

If Dončić, Kessler and Reaves develop into an effective core, the Lakers’ lack of draft capital may become less concerning. But if the combination fails to deliver at the highest level, finding a path to improvement could be extremely difficult.

The Bottom Line

Zach Lowe’s warning is about the Lakers’ lack of flexibility, not an immediate demand to trade Austin Reaves. After the expensive Walker Kessler acquisition, Los Angeles has fewer draft assets and fewer obvious ways to make another major roster upgrade. If the current team doesn’t work, Reaves could eventually become one of the franchise’s most realistic trade chips.