The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers have gotten together for one controversial trade already this year when Luka Doncic was sent to LA for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future draft pick. What's one more?
Dallas is in desperate need of some playmaking after trading away Doncic, and with Kyrie Irving tearing his ACL, so Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report thinks the Mavs would be an ideal landing spot for Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
READ MORE: Longest-tenured Maverick makes big contract decision
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves
Apr 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half during game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Buckley proposes the trade of sending Reaves and Shake Milton to Dallas for Dereck Lively II and P.J. Washington.
"The Mavericks need a ball-handler to hold things over while Kyrie Irving recovers from his ACL tear and a support scorer to slot alongside a healthy Irving and Anthony Davis. Few players who are realistically connected to the trade market would better check both boxes than Reaves.
"Even as a third option in L.A., he's already established himself as an efficient 20-point scorer while also putting a healthy amount of separation between his averages in assists (5.8) and turnovers (2.4). It's certainly possible his playmaking could elevate if utilized in a more featured role (even if only temporarily), and he'd have the added bonus of having established chemistry with Davis, due to their time together in L.A.
"The Lakers would need to decide whether Lively qualifies as the impact big they're after, but save for some injury issues, his first two seasons have been true head-turners. And since he spent a season-plus with Dončić in Dallas, Lively might hit the ground running in L.A. Washington, meanwhile, has the same connection with Dončić and could bring both defensive versatility and shot-making to the perimeter group.
"Both fanbases might gripe about losing the players involved—Milton, for the record, would merely make the money work—but that usually just means a trade holds win-win potential."
Sending Lively and Washington is likely too high a price to pay for the Mavericks, as they view Lively as someone with All-Star potential if he can stay healthy, and he's still under his rookie deal. Reaves is due for an extension after this season and will demand a high price on his next contract, something the Mavs likely couldn't afford to do.
READ MORE: New report on Mavericks' interest in Dylan Harper in NBA Draft
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the offseason
Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter