Lakers may part with Austin Reaves, acquire $175 million Eastern Conference All-Star, per report
Adding a third superstar is never out of the equation for franchises competing for a championship/multiple championships.
While the Los Angeles Lakers are undoubtedly a playoff-caliber squad with LeBron James and Luka Doncic leading the way, they would better position themselves for a title run by acquiring another game-changing piece.
Luckily for Los Angeles, Buha Block’s Jovan Buha believes the organization could land a 2024-25 Eastern Conference All-Star by parting with Austin Reaves.
“I think the Lakers got to be careful with how they position themselves for the future because it's tough to find a (New York) Knicks-Giannis (Antetokounmpo) trade,” Buha Block’s Jovan Buha reported Friday.
"So if that for whatever reason just can't happen, and Milwaukee (Bucks) refuses to play ball with New York, then the Lakers could swoop in and potentially offer a competitive package. They will have three draft picks as of next summer.”
“So could you do something with Austin (Reaves) and three picks and Dalton (Knecht) and Rui (Hachimura) sign-and-trade or something...could you get in the mix for Giannis with that trade package? Maybe.”
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It remains to be seen if Antetokounmpo and the Bucks can return to the NBA finals for the first time since 2021.
Things have been relatively quiet in Milwaukee the past few seasons, causing trade rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo to come alive.
With Damian Lillard out of the picture moving forward (he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers after getting waived by the Bucks) it’s safe to say Antetokounmpo’s confidence in the franchise’s ability to turn things around has quickly plummeted.
If Antetokounmpo demands a trade this season, Los Angeles could be a viable destination for the NBA champion forward.
Although Reaves is an above-average No. 3 scoring option with the Lakers, he doesn’t exude the downhill scoring dominance and playoff reliability that makes Antetokounmpo such an exceptional offensive talent.
The Oklahoma product also continues to struggle to keep up on the defensive end, giving Los Angeles another reason to consider using him as a trade chip for Antetokounmpo down the line.
If one thing’s sure, Antetokounmpo will have his fair share of options on the trade market this year.
How Red Sox ‘Hurt Themselves' With Jarren Duran Trade Decision
The Boston Red Sox enjoyed a surprising turnaround this year after trading away franchise slugger Rafael Devers, reaching the playoffs for the first time in four years.
But after a first-round loss to the rival New York Yankees, the Red Sox might be wondering what other moves they could have made to improve the roster.
Throughout the year, the Red Sox seemed to be on the cusp of trading away outfielder Jarren Duran, as they faced a logjam in the outfield position and other teams valued his contract controllability. But ultimately, the Red Sox hung onto him, and could now be regretting it.
"The Red Sox blew two great chances to trade Jarren Duran when his value was sky high," according to The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy. "They hurt themselves by waiting too long on Duran."
Shaughnessy noted that the Red Sox could have commanded "a bundle" for Duran had they traded him after last year's breakout season and that this past trade deadline was another good chance to sell high on him. Now, though, he's coming off of a harsh postseason that could reduce his potential trade value.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox are still facing a crowded outfield, with Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu all set to compete for time next year. As a result, the team might still seek a trade of Duran, though he won't command the same kind of return that he would have last winter.
“Jarren Duran did not come close to replicating his 8.7 WAR breakout performance from 2024," Joe Reuter wrote for Bleacher Report. "However, the Red Sox will enter the 2026 season with an abundance of outfielders … and after a summer of trade rumblings Duran could again be one of the most talked about players on the market."
The Red Sox might regret holding onto Duran for this long, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't entertain a lesser offer for their surplus outfielder this winter.
