Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Los Angeles Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
As the Lakers have engaged in trade talks more and more in recent weeks, it’s become increasingly clear that they value Austin Reaves greatly, to the point that they consider him effectively untouchable.
That has made the push for Dejounte Murray a bit trickier, meaning the Lakers are likely going to have to part ways with D’Angelo Russell despite him playing some of the best basketball of his career this month. It hasn’t helped as well that this run has coincided with a bit of a slump from Reaves as well.
In our first DraftKings Reacts survey of the season, we ask a pair of questions related to the trade negotiations for the Lakers: should they be pursuing Murray and should the Reaves be untouchable in those talks or any others?
There has been a little bit of revisionist history when it comes to Reaves, his free agency and contract and whether the Lakers made the right call. The answer is they did. Full stop. Just because he’s struggled to take another step forward this year does not mean they should not have done that deal.
At the same time, Reaves is still on a great deal, is still a young player with room to grow and still has bonafide playoff experience and success. That shouldn’t make him entirely untouchable, but the Lakers are taking the right approach.
As for Murray, the questions are interesting. Whether or not they should pursue him at this point feels a bit like a moot point considering it feels like they’re one of the frontrunners. But how serious should they be? This team needs something changed, but does the change need to be at the starting guard spot? Will that vault them forward enough this year?
Let us know by voting and sharing your thoughts down below!
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.