The net worth reaches its peak! Should the Lakers take the opportunity to send Reeves away? The Rockets and other teams may become potential buyers

Translator's Note: The original article was published in Bleacher Report. The data in the article are as of the time of the original publication (October 30, local time). The dates and times involved are all local time.

After playing heroic performances one after another, Austin Reeves is forcing the Lakers to face a thorny question: Should he be sent away when his trade value reaches its peak, or should he be regarded as a core member of the team's future plans?

It sounds like an oxymoron - he's carrying the team right now - but it's a direct result of the 27-year-old's hot start to the season.

After scoring 28 points, tying a career-high 16 assists, and hitting a game-winning floater against the Timberwolves on Wednesday night, Reeves' averages are too good to be true.

His performance is helping the Lakers stay afloat without LeBron James and Luka Doncic. This also ensures that his contract extension in free agency next summer will be even more expensive.

However, the Lakers may decide to address his future before then.

Is Reeves really too expensive to keep?

Reeves has a player option worth $14.9 million for the 2026-27 season. Spoiler alert: He will definitely refuse to do it.

Don’t expect to implement options and renew the contract in advance. The most the Lakers can offer him is an additional four-year, $93.4 million contract based on his option. A contract totaling just over $108 million over five years is no longer on Reeves' radar.

If he maintains this performance, it is expected that among the other 9 teams with salary space, some teams may consider offering him a maximum salary contract.

According to current predictions, the contract forecast is as follows:

Three-year maximum salary provided by the Lakers: $134.5 million

Three-year maximum salary provided by other teams: $130.7 million

Four-year maximum salary provided by the Lakers: $185.9 million

Other teams The four-year maximum salary provided by the team: US$178.5 million

The five-year maximum salary provided by the Lakers: US$240.7 million

Considering that Doncic's annual salary in the future has exceeded US$50 million, the Lakers must carefully consider whether they are willing to spend more than US$40 million per year for Reeves. Especially if their goal is to recruit a bigger star in the future.

What will happen if Reeves is sold at a high price?

If the Lakers decide to sell Reeves at a high price, they can basically go one of the following three paths.

They can use him as a core bargaining chip in a trade for another star; exchange him for a package of future-focused assets, mainly composed of first-round picks and potential rookies, and re-sell these assets in another blockbuster trade later; or try to trade him for a moderately-sized draft pick and potential rookies, plus some role players who can help the team stay competitive.

Which path to choose is still just a matter of preference. The Lakers will make a decision in the coming weeks and months.

As the Lakers' roster gets healthy, they should have a better idea of ​​their place in the Western Conference. This directly affects what they should pursue in a trade for Reeves.

At the same time, Reeves' ideal trade targets are teams that desperately need another ball-handler and scorer and are motivated to pay top-tier assets to fill this shortcoming. As for which teams may meet this condition...

Potential trading partner 1: Mavericks

Few teams need a ball handler more than the Mavericks. If Kyrie Irving is unable to return from an ACL injury this season, no team will need a ballhandler more than they do.

The Mavericks are less than $1.3 million away from the second richest line, which may require recruiting a third-party team, because the Lakers themselves are less than $1.2 million away from the first richest line. That's totally fine.

If a third-party team can be found, it will be much easier to reach a feasible deal. The Mavericks have an intriguing young big man in Derrick Lively II, who Doncic has played with, and they have two first-round picks on the shelf — including the Lakers' own 2029 pick.

Calculating the remaining matching salary is not complicated. The Mavericks have some mid-range contracts available, such as Najee Marshall, Daniel Gafford and Lakers veteran Max Christie.

Potential trading partner 2: Pistons

When the Pistons performed best last season, the team had another reliable ball-handling point who could partner with Cade Cunningham or lead the team independently.

Due to Jaden Ivey's right knee injury, Caris LeVert's hamstring problem and a slow start, the team's offense failed to reproduce its previous effect.

While the Pistons are one of the teams expected to have cap space next summer, the restricted free agent cap space set aside for Ivey and Jaylen Duren may prevent them from spending heavily in free agency. Acquiring Reeves and his Bird clause is a safer bet, and his arrival also serves as a hedge against the risk that Ivey won't be able to deliver on his talent.

Osar Thompson is almost certainly not for sale in any negotiations, but the Pistons could structure a deal around some combination of Isaiah Stewart, Ronald Horan and a first-round pick. Duren may also be put on the negotiating table, but only if the Lakers are willing to pay for his next contract.

Potential trading partner three: Rockets

Fred VanVleet's cruciate ligament injury has caused the Rockets to lose a main ball handler who can stretch the floor and has proven himself.. And unless second-year Reed Shepard breaks out, there doesn't seem to be a suitable replacement on the team.

After acquiring Kevin Durant, the Rockets may not be willing to give up more assets. But then again, trading and renewing a 37-year-old star in advance requires the team to act decisively.

If the Rockets pursue Reeves, they have a variety of high-quality chips that can be added to the deal. Apart from Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and Alperon Shenkyung, there may not be anything on the team that is not for sale. Jabari Smith Jr. may be an exception, as he just signed an early contract extension and is subject to trade terms. But that just makes trading more difficult, not completely impossible.

In any case, the Rockets have other assets that could arouse the Lakers' interest, including Tari Eason and nine future first-round picks. Any trade would likely involve more players and teams, but both the Rockets and Lakers have mid-range contracts to match salary to facilitate a deal -- as long as the Lakers prefer draft picks as the primary return.

So should the Lakers take advantage of Reeves' trade value?

Unless a potential suitor offers Reaves an All-NBA caliber player in his prime, the Lakers should let him enter free agency.

Yes, there is indeed the possibility of Reeves leaving in vain. But the Lakers can offer him more years and a higher salary than any other team. Depending on LeBron James' future, they could also commit to Reeves and permanently elevate him to the team's No. 2 option.

If his salary wasn't so low, it would be more attractive to tout him before the February 5 trade deadline. Even if the team's priority is the draft pick, when the team is restricted by the hard salary cap and is approaching the first line of wealthy players, it will be difficult to get enough value for a player with an annual salary of only $13.9 million.

Of course there are obvious exceptions. If the Bucks come calling and want to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo for Reeves, salary-matching players, and all the picks and swap rights the Lakers can offer, then the Lakers should act decisively.

However, unless another team's front office pulls off a Nick Harrison-style move, Reeves may be more valuable to the Lakers on his next contract -- both as a core member and as a trade asset.

Author: Dan Favale

Translator: GWayNe