Will Los Angeles Lakers be willing to let Austin Reaves go to get Zach LaVine?

The NBA winter market is in full swing. Since December 15, the players who signed as free agents in the summer are now eligible for transfers, and amid all this maelstrom, there is a name that insistently sounds to direct his steps to the Los Angeles Lakers: Zach LaVine.

It is an open secret that the Chicago Bulls have been looking for a destination for LaVine for some time. His relationship with head coach Billy Donovan is not the best, and both sides would be more than happy to part ways once and for all.

Likewise, this is the time of the year in which the Lakers name is linked to virtually every major player who could be on the market before the February 5 deadline. LaVine is no exception, furthermore, he is the name that has made the most noise to reach the Los Angeles franchise.

At the moment, none of the interested parties have made an official comment on the matter. However, insiders in national media have revealed that there is an obstacle that would prevent LaVine’s arrival at the Lakers called Austin Reaves.

The Lakers-LaVine-Reaves case

The Athletic reporter Sam Amick leaked that the Lakers are not indifferent to a deal for LaVine, as they are also interested in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso. However, “a conversation with Chicago is likely to include a request for Austin Reaves.”

Amick asserted that “by all indications, the Lakers remain as committed to Reaves as they were when they gave him a four-year, $56 million deal last summer.”

Insider Chris Haynes also revealed that “any deal involving the Lakers will have to include Austin Reaves. What I am told is that the Lakers are not interested at all in moving Austin Reaves.”

With Reaves out of the deal, the Bulls will surely look for another destination for LaVine. So far, there don’t appear to be any other teams interested, but with the Lakers out of the picture and as the deadline approaches, it’s likely that Chicago could find a buyer.

The love story between Lakers and Reaves

Austin Reaves was signed undrafted by the Lakers in the summer of 2021. In his third year as a professional, the Oklahoma graduate is averaging 29.6 minutes, 15 points, 4.7 rebounds, and five assists per game.

Reaves is considered a good player, but analysts do not see the potential to be a star in him, unlike LaVine. He is also a darling of the public, and someone on the team’s board may have some appreciation for him.

However, although his numbers are that of an average player, Reaves plays a crucial role on the team: providing space between stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Head coach Darvin Ham has built his team around the two superstars. The rest of the squad is designed to make room for James and Davis not to collide with each other, in addition to complementing the offensive power of both players.

From this point of view, LaVine, another superstar with attitude problems, may not quite fit into the team. However, the Lakers are in a slump with two consecutive losses, and Zach’s arrival could shake up the structure enough to give the team the push it needs heading into the second half of the regular season.