2. Austin Reaves
The Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear that they will do everything they can to keep Austin Reaves out of trade discussions this summer. This isn't a new development, as general manager Rob Pelinka has been reluctant to ship Reaves elsewhere since the 26-year-old rose to prominence in 2022-23.
Due to the fact that the Lakers have such limited options in terms of potential trade pieces, however, it's impossible to rule Reaves out as a player who could be traded this summer.
Reaves is the arguable third-best player on the Lakers, with his postseason quality of play sitting behind only Anthony Davis and LeBron James. He was instrumental in the team's run to the 2023 Western Conference Finals and again played well in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
For a Lakers squad that's looking to add players who can step up in the postseason, it's logical to be protective of one of the current contributors who has shown the ability to do so.
Reaves finished the 2023-24 regular season in strong form, as well. He set new career-best per-game averages in points (15.3), assists (5.5), rebounds (4.3), steals (0.8), and three-point field goals made (1.9) while shooting an efficient .486/.367/.853.
A vital contributor who continues to improve, losing Reaves would be devastating for the Lakers if the return isn't massive—but the return could be massive.
With the third-largest guaranteed salary on the roster, losing Reaves could be a necessary evil in the right trade. It's simply a matter of finance, what the other team demands, and how badly the Lakers want to get a deal done.