The Los Angeles Lakers are still trying to figure things out as the season moves along. LeBron James wants the team to contend for a championship at least one more time before he retires.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
Austin Reaves has been sidelined with an injury, but this is the final year of his contract, and he wants to return to Los Angeles once the season ends.
“I try not to think about it. Honestly. I've said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it," Reaves told ESPN. "Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn't mean that I'm trying to go get a f---ing gigantic number that don't make sense. I want to be here, I want to win. I want to do everything that can help this organization be better. So I don't try to think about those things."
However, on a recent podcast, James’ agent Rich Paul suggested trading Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr.
“If I was the Lakers I would be targeting the Memphis Grizzlies as a trade partner for Jaren Jackson… If you’re building around Luka you need that anchor. Jaren doesn’t want to be apart of a rebuild… if you’re able to trade out expirings and trade the last 1st you got or you can withhold and give up less but this comes with a more unemotional attachment because Austin is beloved. There’s a world you can do what’s best for your team, and what’s best for Austin. Austin deserves to get paid,” Paul said.
The potential trade would be controversial, especially given how beloved Reaves is by fans, but acquiring Jackson would be beneficial on many levels. It would give the Lakers a lockdown defender, even if it means losing a high-level scorer.
Jackson would be an excellent fit next to Luka Doncic as a legitimate lob threat—something the Lakers still have not fully found for their franchise star. Such a move would signal a new wave of talent in Los Angeles, which may be exactly what the team needs.