With the Los Angeles Lakers looking to retool their roster to keep pace in a stacked Western Conference, questions are mounting about which direction the franchise should take. One possibility generating discussion involves trading guard Austin Reaves — a player now being linked to the Dallas Mavericks as a prime offseason target.
According to Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes on June 11, the Mavericks should strongly consider pursuing Reaves in a trade this summer. The timing is notable, as some league insiders and media voices have speculated since February that Dallas missed an opportunity to acquire Reaves (or a similarly valued player or draft compensation) in a potential blockbuster that would have sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. While that hypothetical deal never came to fruition, Reaves’ name has resurfaced in trade rumors with renewed urgency.
What makes Reaves particularly interesting this offseason is his expected contract stance. Though eligible for a four-year, $90 million extension from the Lakers, he is reportedly planning to decline it. Instead, Reaves is likely to play out the remaining two seasons of his current four-year, $54 million contract and then test unrestricted free agency in 2026, where he could command a much higher salary. This has turned him into one of the most talked-about players heading into the summer.
Hughes pointed out that with Kyrie Irving sidelined due to a torn ACL, Dallas is in need of another offensive facilitator. Reaves, while not yet an All-Star, represents a realistic yet high-quality option the Mavericks could land. Hughes proposed that the Lakers might consider a trade offer built around P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II. Washington would provide depth and shooting, while Lively — who developed a strong connection with Dončić — could offer the Lakers much-needed rim protection, rebounding, and a reliable lob threat.
Reaves is coming off a breakout 2025-26 season — his fourth in the NBA — where he posted career highs in points (20.2), assists (5.8), and rebounds (4.5) per game. The 27-year-old guard, who entered the league undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma, has shown steady growth and increased value, making his future with the Lakers — or another team — a key storyline to watch this offseason.
