Austin Reaves did not show concern after Rich Paul suggested the Lakers trade him for Jaren Jackson Jr. Despite league backlash to the idea, Reaves stayed focused, not paying attention to the claims, according to reports.
Recent comments from Rich Paul sparked heavy discussion around the Los Angeles Lakers, but Austin Reaves has remained calm amid the noise.
Los Angeles Lakers / Schedule
On his Game Over podcast, Paul, who represents LeBron James, suggested that the Lakers should consider trading Reaves to the Memphis Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson Jr. The idea was met with strong backlash around the league. One NBA executive even claimed that Paul had "ruined whatever good vibes the Lakers had" and that the team "will never recover from this."
Despite the reaction, Reaves did not appear shaken by the public trade talk. According to a report from The Athletic, the Lakers guard did not pay much attention to the comments.
"A Lakers source told The Athletic that Reaves didn’t pay much attention to Paul’s comments, but one of Reaves’ agents approached Paul at halftime of Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks to discuss," wrote Sam Amick and The Athletic NBA staff.
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Before suffering a gastrocnemius strain in late December, Reaves was playing the best basketball of his career. He is averaging 26.6 points and 6.3 assists per game and was on track for his first All-Star appearance.
Los Angeles currently holds a 24-15 record but has dropped 11 of its last 20 games, leading many to believe the team needs more athleticism, perimeter defense, and three-point shooting.
Reaves has one year left on his contract and is expected to opt out this summer in search of a larger deal.
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