Testing the Market - Austin Reaves

Moderators: MoneyTalks41890, HartfordWhalers, Texas Chuck, BullyKing, Andre Roberstan, loserX, Trader_Joe, Mamba4Goat, pacers33granger

facothomas22
Analyst
Posts: 3,709
And1: 2,179
Joined: Jul 02, 2018
   

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#81 » by facothomas22 » Thu May 8, 2025 1:22 pm

Apz wrote:I dont see goga be someone u tells luka "Look what we got, now please resign". Honestly, Pelinka failed to build around lebron and ad, with more assets. I dont see how he will be able to build around luka with less. I really struggle to see any reason for luka to extend with lakers. They need 2 centers for next season, if reaves is dealt a starting center need to come bqck in that deal



Same here. I'm thinking Luka Doncic is going to play out next season and sign ether with the Nuggets, Rockets, or the Magic in the 2026 off season assuming they would be able to clear out enough cap space where those teams will be able to sign him straight up. Due to the Lakers asset situation or lack thereof, along with having no spending power, I don't really seeing the Lakers Center really getting any better next year from where it was this season post trade deadline.
Apz
Head Coach
Posts: 6,752
And1: 2,492
Joined: Jan 18, 2019
 

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#82 » by Apz » Thu May 8, 2025 5:34 pm

facothomas22 wrote:
Apz wrote:I dont see goga be someone u tells luka "Look what we got, now please resign". Honestly, Pelinka failed to build around lebron and ad, with more assets. I dont see how he will be able to build around luka with less. I really struggle to see any reason for luka to extend with lakers. They need 2 centers for next season, if reaves is dealt a starting center need to come bqck in that deal



Same here. I'm thinking Luka Doncic is going to play out next season and sign ether with the Nuggets, Rockets, or the Magic in the 2026 off season assuming they would be able to clear out enough cap space where those teams will be able to sign him straight up. Due to the Lakers asset situation or lack thereof, along with having no spending power, I don't really seeing the Lakers Center really getting any better next year from where it was this season post trade deadline.


I still think its spurs, maybe houston. Luka liked texas, and after gotten bu-fud by nico, the real fu would be to sign with a texas rival for the new cheaper price that he been forced into by nico. Pretty talented teams, with assets
BlazersBroncos
RealGM
Posts: 12,318
And1: 9,860
Joined: Oct 27, 2016

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#83 » by BlazersBroncos » Thu May 8, 2025 6:54 pm

Apz wrote:
facothomas22 wrote:
Apz wrote:I dont see goga be someone u tells luka "Look what we got, now please resign". Honestly, Pelinka failed to build around lebron and ad, with more assets. I dont see how he will be able to build around luka with less. I really struggle to see any reason for luka to extend with lakers. They need 2 centers for next season, if reaves is dealt a starting center need to come bqck in that deal



Same here. I'm thinking Luka Doncic is going to play out next season and sign ether with the Nuggets, Rockets, or the Magic in the 2026 off season assuming they would be able to clear out enough cap space where those teams will be able to sign him straight up. Due to the Lakers asset situation or lack thereof, along with having no spending power, I don't really seeing the Lakers Center really getting any better next year from where it was this season post trade deadline.


I still think its spurs, maybe houston. Luka liked texas, and after gotten bu-fud by nico, the real fu would be to sign with a texas rival for the new cheaper price that he been forced into by nico. Pretty talented teams, with assets


Can San Antonio create a route to max cap space summer 2026?

Luka and Wemby would be absurd.
hugepatsfan
General Manager
Posts: 8,832
And1: 9,258
Joined: May 28, 2020
       

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#84 » by hugepatsfan » Thu May 8, 2025 7:06 pm

OrlandoDream wrote:Reaves for Wendell Carter is a fair swap for both teams. Fit a need that both teams need. Similar contracts too.


You ignored the quality of player part. Carter kind of stinks, he's just a semi-functional shooter and switcher as a big man which people go gaga for. But he's really not anything great and is a liability a lot of the time.
Astaluego
Starter
Posts: 2,394
And1: 907
Joined: May 02, 2020
   

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#85 » by Astaluego » Thu May 8, 2025 7:36 pm

BlazersBroncos wrote:
Apz wrote:
facothomas22 wrote:

Same here. I'm thinking Luka Doncic is going to play out next season and sign ether with the Nuggets, Rockets, or the Magic in the 2026 off season assuming they would be able to clear out enough cap space where those teams will be able to sign him straight up. Due to the Lakers asset situation or lack thereof, along with having no spending power, I don't really seeing the Lakers Center really getting any better next year from where it was this season post trade deadline.


I still think its spurs, maybe houston. Luka liked texas, and after gotten bu-fud by nico, the real fu would be to sign with a texas rival for the new cheaper price that he been forced into by nico. Pretty talented teams, with assets


Can San Antonio create a route to max cap space summer 2026?

Luka and Wemby would be absurd.
I think he's staying in LA, I doubt he'll want to move back, but if he does, I'd bet on Miami.
Old Mike Lorenzo
facothomas22
Analyst
Posts: 3,709
And1: 2,179
Joined: Jul 02, 2018
   

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#86 » by facothomas22 » Thu May 8, 2025 7:42 pm

BlazersBroncos wrote:
Apz wrote:
facothomas22 wrote:

Same here. I'm thinking Luka Doncic is going to play out next season and sign ether with the Nuggets, Rockets, or the Magic in the 2026 off season assuming they would be able to clear out enough cap space where those teams will be able to sign him straight up. Due to the Lakers asset situation or lack thereof, along with having no spending power, I don't really seeing the Lakers Center really getting any better next year from where it was this season post trade deadline.


I still think its spurs, maybe houston. Luka liked texas, and after gotten bu-fud by nico, the real fu would be to sign with a texas rival for the new cheaper price that he been forced into by nico. Pretty talented teams, with assets


Can San Antonio create a route to max cap space summer 2026?

Luka and Wemby would be absurd.



The Spurs cap sheet looks really good and maybe the only team that could sign Luka without moving major salary.

Spurs cap sheet for the 2026/27 season.

Wemby -16.8 millon

Devin Vassell - 27 million

Stephen Castle -10 millon

Julian Champagnie - 3 millon(team option)

Still would need to bring back to De'Aaron Fox + their draft picks this year and next year, but they can make work more than any other team in terms of clear out enough space to sign Luka for a max.
facothomas22
Analyst
Posts: 3,709
And1: 2,179
Joined: Jul 02, 2018
   

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#87 » by facothomas22 » Thu May 8, 2025 7:44 pm

Apz wrote:
facothomas22 wrote:
Apz wrote:I dont see goga be someone u tells luka "Look what we got, now please resign". Honestly, Pelinka failed to build around lebron and ad, with more assets. I dont see how he will be able to build around luka with less. I really struggle to see any reason for luka to extend with lakers. They need 2 centers for next season, if reaves is dealt a starting center need to come bqck in that deal



Same here. I'm thinking Luka Doncic is going to play out next season and sign ether with the Nuggets, Rockets, or the Magic in the 2026 off season assuming they would be able to clear out enough cap space where those teams will be able to sign him straight up. Due to the Lakers asset situation or lack thereof, along with having no spending power, I don't really seeing the Lakers Center really getting any better next year from where it was this season post trade deadline.


I still think its spurs, maybe houston. Luka liked texas, and after gotten bu-fud by nico, the real fu would be to sign with a texas rival for the new cheaper price that he been forced into by nico. Pretty talented teams, with assets



I do feel the Spurs have the clearest path towards bring in Luka in 2026 off season, so I wouldn't rule them out at all. I just think the Rockets,Nuggets and Magic are closer to Championship contention and Luka would choose those teams over the Spurs. The issue for all of those teams that the Spurs don't have is that they would need to move a lot of salary.
facothomas22
Analyst
Posts: 3,709
And1: 2,179
Joined: Jul 02, 2018
   

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#88 » by facothomas22 » Thu May 8, 2025 7:49 pm

Astaluego wrote:
BlazersBroncos wrote:
Apz wrote:
I still think its spurs, maybe houston. Luka liked texas, and after gotten bu-fud by nico, the real fu would be to sign with a texas rival for the new cheaper price that he been forced into by nico. Pretty talented teams, with assets


Can San Antonio create a route to max cap space summer 2026?

Luka and Wemby would be absurd.
I think he's staying in LA, I doubt he'll want to move back, but if he does, I'd bet on Miami.



The Heat are mostly likely not going to be in the running to get Luka. They would need to clear a lot of salary and compared to some of the other teams like the Magic,Nuggets, Rockets or even the Spurs, the Heat are further away from contending and need more things to go right for them,unless they're getting Giannis ether this off season or by next off season before Free Agency.
Karmaloop
General Manager
Posts: 9,671
And1: 1,771
Joined: Sep 24, 2009
       

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#89 » by Karmaloop » Sat May 10, 2025 7:31 pm

Ell Curry wrote:Hah, yeah, that makes sense. KCP, Goga and #16 for Reaves, Vincent + Kleber/Vanderbilt is interesting. Magic don't really throw out a premium asset and get Reaves to help their terrible offence. Suggs-Reaves-Wagner-Banchero and then maybe go all in on a center with your big "Mitchell to Utah/Gobert to Minny" trade and that might be a contender. Or go all-in on a guard/wing and make Reaves the 6th man after you pay him and stick with Carter Jr at center.

Lakers still have #16, Vanderbilt/Kleber and Hachimura or Finney Smith to trade for a 30M starter, maybe a guard: Guard-KCP-Luka-Lebron-Goga with Rui/DFS as the 6th man and a 5.7M signing (best free agent who will take that offer) as the 7th man. Then need to find the 8th and final rotation guy out of scraps/developmental projects I guess?


That doesn't really make a ton of sense for the Lakers unless they can somehow flip that 16th pick and salary filler for a legitimate player. KCP is a bad contract, and Goga collected 2 DNPs in the playoffs. This screams like take a bad contract off of my hands (KCP) and a middling pick for a good, young, cheap guard.
Ell Curry
Head Coach
Posts: 7,454
And1: 2,074
Joined: Oct 27, 2001
Location: Newfoundland

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#90 » by Ell Curry » Sun May 11, 2025 2:11 am

Karmaloop wrote:
Ell Curry wrote:Hah, yeah, that makes sense. KCP, Goga and #16 for Reaves, Vincent + Kleber/Vanderbilt is interesting. Magic don't really throw out a premium asset and get Reaves to help their terrible offence. Suggs-Reaves-Wagner-Banchero and then maybe go all in on a center with your big "Mitchell to Utah/Gobert to Minny" trade and that might be a contender. Or go all-in on a guard/wing and make Reaves the 6th man after you pay him and stick with Carter Jr at center.

Lakers still have #16, Vanderbilt/Kleber and Hachimura or Finney Smith to trade for a 30M starter, maybe a guard: Guard-KCP-Luka-Lebron-Goga with Rui/DFS as the 6th man and a 5.7M signing (best free agent who will take that offer) as the 7th man. Then need to find the 8th and final rotation guy out of scraps/developmental projects I guess?


That doesn't really make a ton of sense for the Lakers unless they can somehow flip that 16th pick and salary filler for a legitimate player. KCP is a bad contract, and Goga collected 2 DNPs in the playoffs. This screams like take a bad contract off of my hands (KCP) and a middling pick for a good, young, cheap guard.


Goga would still be a massive upgrade for the Lakers and #16 is a decent pick. Agreed on KCP being a negative, that extra year would be sticky in terms of moving him out with #16 for a guard at say the deadline from some tanking team.

But value-wise, 1 cheap Reaves year for 2 cheap Goga Years + #16 feels like a win for the Lakers for me.

Hard to say if KCP is washed or he could have 1-2 more solid years left with Luka and LeBron getting him good looks from 3. Might be asking a lot for him to be the #1 perimeter defender, though, which would probably be the case unless the trade brought back a good defender.

I think it all depends on who will take a paycut to live in L.A for a year this summer. If it's a solid big who is as good as Goga for example, then this trade makes no sense. If it's say Bruce Brown, you still need a big.
Where's the D?
wemby
Sixth Man
Posts: 1,898
And1: 1,234
Joined: Jun 13, 2023
 

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#91 » by wemby » Sun May 11, 2025 2:36 am

facothomas22 wrote:The Spurs cap sheet looks really good and maybe the only team that could sign Luka without moving major salary.

Spurs cap sheet for the 2026/27 season.

Wemby -16.8 millon

Devin Vassell - 27 million

Stephen Castle -10 millon

Julian Champagnie - 3 millon(team option)

Still would need to bring back to De'Aaron Fox + their draft picks this year and next year, but they can make work more than any other team in terms of clear out enough space to sign Luka for a max.

If this is about the 26 free agency (early termination), Keldon Johnson would have one more season left at 17.5 million, so if the Spurs wanted max cap space that probably means one of Vassell or Keldon Johnson would have to be moved for expirings by the next trade deadline, probably both if we consider salary, role, re-signing Fox, and the upcoming draft picks in 25 and 26. If Luka hits free agency in 27, then Wemby needs to get paid and that complicates things.
Karmaloop
General Manager
Posts: 9,671
And1: 1,771
Joined: Sep 24, 2009
       

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#92 » by Karmaloop » Sun May 11, 2025 5:28 pm

Ell Curry wrote:Goga would still be a massive upgrade for the Lakers and #16 is a decent pick. Agreed on KCP being a negative, that extra year would be sticky in terms of moving him out with #16 for a guard at say the deadline from some tanking team.

But value-wise, 1 cheap Reaves year for 2 cheap Goga Years + #16 feels like a win for the Lakers for me.

Hard to say if KCP is washed or he could have 1-2 more solid years left with Luka and LeBron getting him good looks from 3. Might be asking a lot for him to be the #1 perimeter defender, though, which would probably be the case unless the trade brought back a good defender.

I think it all depends on who will take a paycut to live in L.A for a year this summer. If it's a solid big who is as good as Goga for example, then this trade makes no sense. If it's say Bruce Brown, you still need a big.


I've got Goga at neutral value. Value contract but a fringe starting center. I'd envision a team would send a SRP (or two) to acquire him. So maybe slightly positive value? The problem is I think KCP is a bad contract and I think it'd take #16 just to dump him if a team had useless expirings to trade for him. KCP only real has value potentially as a buy-low candidate for me, and his contract makes it burdensome.
Ell Curry
Head Coach
Posts: 7,454
And1: 2,074
Joined: Oct 27, 2001
Location: Newfoundland

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#93 » by Ell Curry » Mon May 12, 2025 12:58 am

Karmaloop wrote:I've got Goga at neutral value. Value contract but a fringe starting center. I'd envision a team would send a SRP (or two) to acquire him. So maybe slightly positive value?


I think this is harsh. 2 very cheap years of decent center play is worth more than that. He's about to enter his prime, great rim protection numbers. Two 2nds for him would be a steal. The average 2nd round center ends up being a Charles Bassey or Bruno Fernando type who is solid as a 3rd stringer but overmatched as a backup center (even if that's the 4th big with a PF/C type on the team). That's a big gap to a passable starting center and very good backup.

I think the Magic just were in a place where they needed offence more than solid rim protection, so he suffered a bit. Whereas the Lakers just made Rudy Gobert look like prime Dwight Howard - on offense! On the right team, with 1-2 great passing stars that the Magic don't have, but the Lakers do, I think Goga could give you 25+ minutes a night and solid numbers on both ends. He's probably not gonna blossom like a Zubac or Hartenstein did, but even if he has half the improvement they did in their age 26/27 seasons, that'll be a 15-20M starting center making 7-8M a year. And with his number that low, the Lakers have more room to turn their 1st and the one they get for Reaves into a starter or 2. It's hard to go from 5 guys you trust on the floor in the playoffs (Lakers current number) to the 7 or 8 you need to have a real chance is not easy, as we've seen with the Nuggets', Bucks' and other recent championship winning teams.
Where's the D?
jredsaz
General Manager
Posts: 8,883
And1: 3,148
Joined: May 25, 2012
         

Re: Testing the Market - Austin Reaves 

Post#94 » by jredsaz » Mon May 12, 2025 7:38 pm

Karmaloop wrote:
Ell Curry wrote:Goga would still be a massive upgrade for the Lakers and #16 is a decent pick. Agreed on KCP being a negative, that extra year would be sticky in terms of moving him out with #16 for a guard at say the deadline from some tanking team.

But value-wise, 1 cheap Reaves year for 2 cheap Goga Years + #16 feels like a win for the Lakers for me.

Hard to say if KCP is washed or he could have 1-2 more solid years left with Luka and LeBron getting him good looks from 3. Might be asking a lot for him to be the #1 perimeter defender, though, which would probably be the case unless the trade brought back a good defender.

I think it all depends on who will take a paycut to live in L.A for a year this summer. If it's a solid big who is as good as Goga for example, then this trade makes no sense. If it's say Bruce Brown, you still need a big.


I've got Goga at neutral value. Value contract but a fringe starting center. I'd envision a team would send a SRP (or two) to acquire him. So maybe slightly positive value? The problem is I think KCP is a bad contract and I think it'd take #16 just to dump him if a team had useless expirings to trade for him. KCP only real has value potentially as a buy-low candidate for me, and his contract makes it burdensome.


How? All the numbers point to Goga being the best center on the Magics roster and a starting level center in the NBA.

Return to Trades and Transactions