The Los Angeles Lakers are back in a position they might as well have never left. With the NBA trade deadline nearing, Los Angeles has inevitably been linked to a growing list of big names on the open market.
Chief among those players is an All-Star shooting guard to whom the Lakers have been linked for well over a year: Chicago Bulls sharpshooter Zach LaVine.
The Lakers were said to be interested in trading for LaVine in September of 2023 by Shams Charania and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. What effectively became a season-ending injury pressed pause on Los Angeles’ interest, but it was never officially ruled an impossibility in the future.
Speculation continues to run rampant that LaVine could be on the Lakers’ radar in 2025, but there’s one reason he shouldn’t be: Austin Reaves.
There’s a fair argument that LaVine is a better player than Reaves in 2024-25 and would thus offer a short-term upgrade. He could even play better than the 26-year-old over the life of their respective contracts, thus giving the Lakers more value in the backcourt.
For as true as that all may be, there’s a simple question that must be asked: Is LaVine $30,055,578 better than Reaves, as his contract suggests he is?
Austin Reaves is more valuable to the Lakers than Zach LaVine
On the court, LaVine has been an absolute revelation during the 2024-25 regular season. Through 41 appearances, he’s averaging 24.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.2 three-point field goals made on .512/.444/.792 shooting.
It’s almost impossible to look at those numbers and not see the scenario in which LaVine elevates the Lakers’ offense, but the defensive concerns would persist.
A backcourt of LaVine and Reaves would be comprised of two players who have never been mistaken for high-level defenders. Their offensive upside would be captivating, but in potential postseason matchups against the likes of Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morant, and Jamal Murray, the Lakers would be lost on defense.
With this in mind, Los Angeles would likely need to choose between LaVine and Reaves rather than pair them together—and Reaves’ contract simply provides more value and flexibility.
LaVine is making $30,055,578 more than Reaves during the 2024-25 season. That’s a staggering disparity in salaries that’s simply disproportionate to the gap between them on the court, let alone the additional value Los Angeles could acquire with that money made available to them.
Moreover, it reveals how restricted the Lakers would be in their team-building efforts if they were to replace their $12,976,362 combo guard with a $43,031,940 alternative.
A year ago, when Reaves was still fighting to become a full-time starter under Darvin Ham, this was an arguably viable idea. Reaves has since emerged as a superior playmaker, however, while also taking a considerable step forward as a scorer, averaging 18.4 points and 6.1 assists per game in 2024-25.
LaVine is a dynamic talent worth considering a trade for, but when factoring in defense and salary, Reaves is simply the better value option for the Lakers in 2024-25.
