Lakers' Reaves Strategy
Lakers Reportedly Trading Young Duo to Create Space for Austin Reaves Deal
The Los Angeles Lakers are set to trade Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt — a duo worth a combined $66M in contract value — to clear room for an Austin Reaves extension, according to Sporting News and Yahoo Sports. The move signals a full commitment to building around Luka Dončić, who arrived in a blockbuster trade in February 2025.
Reaves is coming off a career year: 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game. He is expected to decline his $14.9M player option and seek a max deal. The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly ready to offer him a four-year, $178.5M contract — putting the Lakers under real pressure to act fast.
Brooklyn's $178M Threat Forces Lakers' Hand
The Nets' offer would pay Reaves roughly $44.6M per year. The Lakers, however, hold a powerful card. They own his Bird Rights, which lets them offer a fifth year — pushing the total to $239.3M, according to Yahoo Sports. No other team can match that number. Still, the Lakers must first shed salary to make the math work.
To stay under the NBA's "second apron" — a hard spending limit that restricts trades — the Lakers need to move significant payroll. Knecht carries a $4.2M salary for 2026-27. Vanderbilt costs $12.4M that same year. Moving both frees up cap space and keeps future trade options open, Sporting News reported.
Why Knecht and Vanderbilt Became Expendable
Jarred Vanderbilt signed a four-year, $48M extension in September 2023. But his game has not grown. He cannot shoot, and Dončić needs four shooters around him at all times. Vanderbilt's inability to space the floor made him a poor fit next to the Lakers' new franchise player, per Yahoo Sports.
Knecht was the 17th pick in the 2024 draft and holds an 18.4M rookie contract. His sophomore season disappointed — he shot just 34.8% from three and struggled on defense. Despite being only 23, his $4M salary and limited production made him easy to include in trade packages, Sporting News noted.
Reaves Wants to Stay, But Wants to Get Paid
Reports suggest Reaves prefers Los Angeles. He came to the Lakers as an undrafted free agent and grew into an All-Star caliber player. But preference and loyalty only go so far. His agents at Klutch Sports are expected to use Brooklyn's offer as leverage to push the Lakers toward the full five-year, $239M max, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Lakers entered the exclusive negotiating window with Reaves on June 14. GM Rob Pelinka faces a tight deadline. The plan, per Sporting News, is to finalize the Knecht and Vanderbilt trades first — then lock in the Reaves deal before free agency opens June 30.
What This Means for the Lakers' Roster Going Forward
Losing Knecht and Vanderbilt thins the rotation fast. The Lakers' front office is already scouting replacements — wing defenders like Herb Jones have been mentioned as targets, per reports. If those deals fall through, the team behind Dončić, Reaves, and the 41-year-old LeBron James could be dangerously short on depth.
This is now a "win now" team — not a rebuilding one. The Dončić trade ended the draft-and-develop phase. Moving two young players to pay a guard over $45M a year is a big bet. If Reaves stays healthy and Pelinka lands the right veterans, it could work. If not, the Lakers will have very little room to fix it, Yahoo Sports reported.
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