Lakers Trade Rumors: $25M Rising Star Seen as Near-Perfect Return for Austin Reaves 

The LA Lakers' breakout star Austin Reaves has been viewed as a polarizing trade candidate. Many consider him too talented to let go, while others feel he's not an ideal fit next to Luka Doncic, particularly on the defensive end, given their physical limitations.

Reaves is believed to be LA's most prized asset, and securing anything lower than his value could dent the Lakers' title prospects in the long run. According to Lakers and NBA insider Jovan Buha, the Pelicans' rising star, Trey Murphy III, could be an "interesting" trade candidate.

He explained his reasons during Thursday's episode of his podcast, "Buha's Block," saying:

"He's (Murphy) a bit bigger,-6-foot-7, 6-foot-8, he's a better shooter (than Reaves)."

Buha said Murphy's size makes everyone "wishcast" him to be a better defender than he is. Nevertheless, he still views Murphy as better than Reaves on that end.

"I think it's harder to pick on him than Austin. So, I can see Murphy being a guy who fits really well next to Luka [Doncic] long-term."

However, Buha believes the Lakers and Pelicans could want draft capital from each other, leading to a stalemate in potential negotiations.

From a salary-matching perspective, it won't be difficult to make the trade as Murphy is making $25 million this season. A combination of Austin Reaves, Maxi Kleber and Dalton Knecht could help LA reach the $25 million figure.

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Austin Reaves' explosive preseason could force Lakers to retain him long-term

Austin Reaves came into his fifth NBA season with improved burst, strength, and athleticism, according to JJ Redick. He was LA's best player in the gym all summer. Reaves' explosive preseason was a testament to Redick's assessment.

He's averaged 22.0 points on 56.8% shooting across three games. Reaves has added to his skill set on offense and improved his conditioning, allowing him to play through contact. His handles look even tighter, while his ability to play through traffic in the paint has also improved.

In the only game Reaves played alongside Luka Doncic, a clash against Phoenix on Tuesday, the duo quashed any concerns regarding their offensive fit, scoring 25 points each without any overlap.

There's more reason for LA to hold onto Reaves and give him a full season with Doncic. He's drawn comparisons to Doncic's former backcourt partner Jalen Brunson, and there's enough sample size for the Lakers to give into that projection.

Another reason the Lakers may want to retain Reaves is LeBron James' injury setback, which could keep him out until mid-November. The Lakers can't experiment at this stage by moving a key piece like Reaves if James is sidelined for a significant amount of time.