Everyone knows the Los Angeles Lakers desperately need to find a center this offseason. Could the Portland Trail Blazers use that to their advantage? Bailey Bassett of ClutchPoints pitched a trade where the Trail Blazers capitalize on the Lakers' dire need for a big man, turning Deandre Ayton and two-round picks into a package headlined by Austin Reaves.
Here is the deal in full:
Austin Reaves is a low-risk upgrade for Blazers' backcourt
Bassett refers to Ayton as "arguably the best center available for the Lakers who could legitimately be moved this offseason."
Ayton may not be the best center on the market, but it could be in terms of ones that are easily attainable. Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin should be extremely open to moving Ayton this summer. His massive $35.6 million salary is set to expire after the 2025-26 season, and Donovan Clingan's All-Rookie campaign further confirmed that he should be their starting center going forward.
For the Lakers, Reaves isn't the perfect backcourt partner for Luka Doncic, but this still may not be enough to warrant moving on from their skilled guard despite their big man woes. Acquiring Ayton would be a shortsighted move as Los Angeles would likely either have to overpay him or let him walk next summer.
The Lakers land superstars out of nowhere, and it will be even more intriguing of a landing spot now that Luka is there. Do they really want to limit their cap flexibility by securing Ayton to a long-term deal?
It's fine if they want to make a win-now move to maximize what could potentially be the final season of 40-year-old LeBron James and Doncic together. However, Reaves should only be included if they are landing a long-term asset.
It would be a massive steal for the Trail Blazers to land a prolific offensive guard by sacrificing two second-round picks, given that Ayton's contract essentially makes him a neutral asset. Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber are both on expiring deals worth roughly $11 million each. Portland could simply wash their hands of those players next summer (which is similar to what they would have done with Ayton, regardless).
Reaves does have a $14.9 million player option in 2026-27, which he will likely decline as he's set for a significant payday increase. So, just like the Lakers with Ayton, the Trail Blazers would have to really think about their long-term plans with Reaves. But between having to overpay Ayton or Reaves, the latter is much more preferable given the talent disparity and Portland's roster needs.
Adding Reaves could potentially hinder Shaedon Sharpe's development, but it would also address Portland's two biggest flaws -- their lack of shooting and playmaking. They still need to solidify their uncertain backcourt, and Reaves is coming off a season where he averaged 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game on 46/38/88 shooting splits.
This trade isn't perfect, but it's still a risk-averse move worth making. Should Reaves not fit in with their core or become more expendable with Sharpe taking another leap, Portland could simply let him walk. No harm, no foul.