It's no secret that the Dallas Mavericks are searching for a point guard who can run the show until Kyrie Irving returns from injury in January or February. The options available in free agency aren't amazing, leaving the likelier pathway to improvement coming via trade.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report listed "ambitious" offseason targets for every team, listing Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves for the Dallas Mavericks.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
"With Kyrie Irving sidelined by a torn ACL, the Dallas Mavericks need somebody to run the offense. If they aren't going to trade the No. 1 overall pick and remain committed to building a win-now operation around Anthony Davis, they're short on the blue-chip assets it'll take to get a great one.
"Austin Reaves has never been an All-Star, but he's on the high end of what Dallas could potentially land. Plus, we know the lines of communication between the Mavs and Los Angeles Lakers are wide open.
"Would L.A. part with Reaves (who's extension-eligible this summer) for a depth-boosting package built around P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II? The latter certainly established chemistry with Luka Dončić when they played together and would be a battle-tested defensive anchor and lob-catcher the Lakers need.
"Reaves put up a 64.8 true shooting percentage and added 4.6 assists per game after the All-Star break last year. Production like that says he can run the show this season and slide in alongside a healthy Irving in 2026-27."
Giving up Lively and Washington would feel like a massive overpay for Dallas, and fans are still up in arms about the value of the Luka Doncic trade. But if it were Daniel Gafford and a young prospect with potential like Olivier-Maxence Prosper, that's an easier bullet to bite for a player like Reaves. Dallas' frontcourt is pretty crowded as it sits, and this framework with some draft capital could be workable.
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