Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves has been a hot topic around the league in the early days of the 2025-26 season. Coming off some stellar performances in the absence of Luka Doncic and LeBron James, Reaves has effectively cemented his position as a star-caliber player and a vital part of the team’s core.
While Reaves’ development as a player has been promising, doubts regarding his future with the franchise remain.
With the likelihood of the guard declining his $14.9 million player option in pursuit of a larger contract next summer, the Lakers would be wise to retain him. The option to retain Austin Reaves, however, is just one among several scenarios regarding the future.
Given the trade interest Reaves has garnered around the league, primarily because of his abilities and potential, the 27-year-old has also been mentioned in several trade rumors.
On this note, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz also presented an interesting notion when considering trades involving Reaves. While proposing a potential move by the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire the Lakers star, Swartz wrote:
“The Minnesota Timberwolves are still searching for a franchise point guard to pair alongside Anthony Edwards, with their most recent experiment involving Donte DiVincenzo in the role.
Austin Reaves is a better overall version of DiVincenzo, as he averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and shot 37.7 percent from three for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.”
Swartz’s idea certainly has merit. The Wolves have made an ambitious decision to pair Donte DiVincenzo with Anthony Edwards in the starting lineup, effectively relegating Mike Conley to the bench. Although this has improved Minnesota’s overall bench strength, its 2-2 record suggests that it could look to make improvements.
With this in mind, we explore a potential scenario in which the Wolves could acquire Austin Reaves.
How Can Minnesota Land Austin Reaves?
At the current juncture, acquiring Austin Reaves shouldn’t be a challenging prospect on paper. On a $13.9 million contract, the Lakers guard routinely delivers above and beyond his contract value. But in the event of a trade negotiation, given the 27-year-old’s output and his significance to the Lakers, Los Angeles would demand equivalent compensation, if not more.
Hence, a potential deal for Reaves could involve Donte DiVincenzo, Terrence Shannon Jr., and some draft compensation, potentially a first-rounder or two second-round picks.
For the Wolves, this would effectively be a steal.
Given Reaves’ average of 35.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists on 57.3% shooting overall, with 42.9% from three-point range, he currently looks like a star. Pairing a player like him with one of the league’s best players in Anthony Edwards would help Minnesota form a formidable backcourt pair.
Meanwhile, the Lakers could also see merit in this deal. Aside from the draft compensation, a reliable veteran like DiVincenzo and a talented guard with developmental upside like Shannon Jr. could be worthwhile investments.
For the 2025-26 season, DiVincenzo is averaging 12.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals on 40.5% shooting overall and 38.5% from deep with a defensive rating of 111. Given his two-way upside to go with his perimeter shooting skill, DiVincenzo fits the mold for the Lakers’ backcourt rotation.
Meanwhile, Shannon Jr. has been earning more minutes in the rotation this season. After four games played in his sophomore campaign, the 25-year-old is averaging 5.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting 38.1% from the floor. Although there is room for improvement, he could be a solid piece in the Lakers’ rotation.
The Lakers May Not Wish To Trade Austin Reaves
While the notion of acquiring Austin Reaves may be an intriguing one for the Timberwolves, the chances of them landing the 27-year-old at this stage are slim.
Los Angeles has displayed an inclination to facilitate trades to improve its chances of contending for the title. In this regard, it has been acknowledged by many that Reaves is L.A.’s most valuable trade asset. But considering his current form and relevance to the core, the Lakers may be quite unwilling to part with Reaves.
Regardless, the aforementioned trade proposal may not pique the Lakers’ interest. Hence, as Swartz also noted, the Wolves could look at the 2026 offseason as a window of opportunity.
With the odds of him becoming a free agent becoming increasingly likely, the Wolves could either approach the guard in free agency or even attempt to swing a sign-and-trade with the Lakers to acquire him.
