The Los Angeles Lakers have many decisions to make before the February 9th trade deadline. With very few first-round draft picks to move, the Lakers may have to consider trading starters D’Angelo Russell or Austin Reaves; however, would it be better for the Lakers to keep the young backcourt together for the rest of the 2023-2024 NBA season?
Austin Reaves Unlikely To Be Moved
One could make a strong argument that the third-year guard, Austin Reaves, has been the Lakers’ third-best player during the 2023-24 regular season. Reaves has played in all 47 games for the Los Angeles Lakers so far this season. Reaves is top five on the team in points, assists, and rebounds per game, averaging 15 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III discussed the idea of an Austin Reaves to Detroit trade. In James L. Edwards III’s hypothetical trade, the Detroit Pistons would receive Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. In return, the Lakers would receive Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks. The Detroit Pistons beat writer stated, “Lakers fans will likely despise and probably feel disrespected by this offer,” which is correct, though adding two veteran shooters to the Lakers would be beneficial for a team that is one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league, this is far too much value for Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks. Especially with Burks entering unrestricted free agency this coming offseason.
In the same article, Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha reported, “They(Lakers) have no interest in trading Reaves. The exception would be in a deal for a clear-cut third All-Star, with a name like Lauri Markkanen being the only player of that ilk potentially available on the trade market.” Though Markkanen would be an excellent piece for the Lakers, this is unlikely to come to fruition. The most the Lakers could offer for Markkanen would be similar to the Detroit offer proposed above, sending Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, who the Lakers selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 draft and a 2029 first-round pick. The Utah Jazz would most likely reject this trade, though, as Tony Jones of The Athletic reported that “league sources indicate that Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk are garnering the most interest. This is independent of star forward Lauri Markkanen, who is coveted around the league but, from a Jazz perspective, is as close to an untouchable as a player can get.”
Lakers Plan To Keep Russell After Improved Play
ZERO hesitation 🎯 pic.twitter.com/a8JfCwRo3y
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 28, 2024
It’s hard to see the Lakers moving D’Angelo Russell, their best three-point shooter, with this type of production. The Lakers currently attempt the lowest number of threes per game at 30.4 and make the second fewest threes, only ahead of the 6-40 Detroit Pistons. D’Angelo Russell is having a great start to the new year, so much so that he may have played his way off the trade block. Russell, on the season, has averaged 16 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field, but in 11 games played in January 2024, Russell is averaging 23.9 points per game, 6.2 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field, and 50% from three on over eight attempts per game.
This month, D’Angelo Russell is currently second in threes made per game behind only Steph Curry, second in 3-point percentage behind Grayson Allen, and third in total threes made, trailing Paul George and Lauri Markkanen. The Lakers are currently 5 and 2 over the past two weeks, while Russell has averaged 25.9 points per game, two rebounds per game, and six assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field and 50% from three.
Russell’s had back-to-back great games for the Lakers had an excellent game, posting 29 points while shooting 10 of 18 from the field and an eye-popping 8 of 13 from beyond the arc in a 141-132 win over the Chicago Bulls. In the double-overtime win against the Golden State Warriors, D’Angelo Russell had a great game with 28 points while shooting 63% from beyond the arc and draining a clutch three of his own with under a minute left, putting the Lakers on top. If the Lakers do choose to still move on from Russell, they would need to get a highly efficient three-point scorer in return.
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