The Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 115-110 loss, ending their championship hopes for this season and kicking off trade speculation for the summer.
For a long time, the Lakers have been linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, according to The Athletic insiders Dan Woike and Sam Amick, Luka Doncic is the primary reason the Lakers might lose the Giannis sweepstakes.
The report states: “Doncic has made it clear to the Lakers that he wants to continue playing alongside Austin Reaves. The two have a strong personal relationship, and Doncic believes Reaves can be his long-term backcourt partner and remain in the team’s core.”
Multiple league sources have confirmed that Doncic has told Lakers management he does not want Reaves included in any trade package to acquire Antetokounmpo.
Doncic prefers a team-building model where he and Reaves are paired with another superstar, rather than trading Reaves to bring in Giannis. The Lakers had planned to make a strong push to trade for Antetokounmpo this summer.
But the reality is that without including Reaves in the deal, the Lakers are unlikely to convince the Bucks to complete a blockbuster trade for Giannis.
For the Bucks, who are at a crossroads in their rebuild, Reaves is an attractive asset: he averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds this season, shooting 49% from the field and 36% from three-point range. He has consistently performed in playoff settings and could be a primary scorer for the Bucks, though his ball-handling consistency and defense still need improvement.
However, Reaves has not been able to lead the team further in the playoffs this season. As long as Doncic insists on keeping Reaves and refuses to use him as trade bait, the Lakers will struggle to compete with other suitors like the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors in the Giannis sweepstakes.
For the Lakers, who have built around Reaves as a backcourt cornerstone but have yet to reach the NBA Finals, this news is a significant blow.
