Shannon Sharpe says the Lakers need to trade one of their stars
Shannon Sharpe says the Lakers need to trade one of their stars
The Los Angeles Lakers need to improve their roster this offseason, but people seem to be split on whether incremental improvements will be enough or if they need to make a bold move or two in order to become legitimate championship contenders.
If they do make a big, bold move, the man who would be involved is Austin Reaves. While he is a very good player and once again elevated his production and overall game this season, he remains an anemic defender and is relatively unathletic.
There seems to be a sizable contingent of Lakers fans who are calling for Reaves to be traded, not because such fans have anything against Reaves, but because they feel he is the team's only real trade chip on the open market. Shannon Sharpe, one of the biggest LeBron James fans around, said on his "Nightcap" podcast that the guard is on his way out of L.A.
"The Lakers can only pay you so much," Sharpe said. "You're gonna go somewhere and get a big payday anyway. You ain't trying to stay with the Lakers when you get a $200 million deal, and they can't give you that."
It may seem as though Sharpe is implying that Reaves should join another team. But he also mentioned why it would make sense for the Lakers to trade the Arkansas native.
"But those three guys (Reaves, James and Luka Doncic) are not gonna win anything," Sharpe continued. "Now, I'm not saying you gotta package him, but they need a big. He's the only valuable piece that they have that they're willing to part with."
Reaves has a player option for the 2026-27 season, which means he can opt out and become a free agent next summer. According to a report, he will turn down an extension and opt out in order to seek a contract that would pay him roughly $30 million a year.
He will make $13.9 million next season, which means he may not fetch a ton in a trade this summer. This all makes his future with the Lakers murky and the debate about what they should do with him complicated.
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