Rumors are going around that the Los Angeles Lakers should look to trade Austin Reaves or at least consider the move. Despite the rumors, it’s being reported that the Lakers would not entertain training Reaves unless the return was massive. According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the move would only be made if it were “top-tier big.”

The Lakers have bigger things they need to accomplish besides looking at trading Reaves. The biggest thing is finding a center. Although everyone can agree that the Luka Doncic trade was a massive win for the Los Angeles Lakers and a massive loss for the Dallas Mavericks, the absence of Anthony Davis was felt around the Lakers.

The lack of a true center was the one thing NBA fans could look at that could count the Lakers out as being championship contenders. Even with an elite duo of LeBron James and Doncic, the lack of a true defensive first player was their demise. The Lakers targeting size at the center position is one of their top priorities this offseason, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

The Lakers have an elite group from a scoring perspective. If they traded Reaves now and didn’t get equal or more value, then they are, without a doubt, a worse team. If the Lakers can get a true center this offseason, they’ll be viewed as a top contender in the Western Conference.

It would be questionable if the Lakers decided to trade Reaves. He’s coming off a career year, he knows the organization, and he has chemistry with James and Doncic. He’s also on a cheap contract. He’s set to make about $14 million next season and has a player option worth 14.9 million for the 2026 season, according to Bleacher Report.

Keeping Reaves around unless a trade offer blows them away is smart business by the Lakers. The team seems like they are right on the cusp, despite losing to Minnesota in five games. One more impact center, and this team will be right there.

James plays another part in this. Realistically, he’s got one, maybe two years left. If the Los Angeles Lakers were to trade Reaves, they’d not only make their team worse, but they’d also be giving up the financial stability with Reaves’ contract. They’d also be sacrificing precious time thinking about what the post-James era in Los Angeles will look like.