The Los Angeles Lakers have returned to winning ways with two consecutive wins over the Memphis Grizzlies. The team, with a 22-11 record, has had a good start thanks to the Austin Reaves-Luka Doncic duo in LeBron James’ absence initially. While things look a lot better when they are winning, the Purple and Gold still have a lot of issues in their defense.

The Lakers need to address the issues in the trade window if they even want to have a sniff at the championship. They have some great offensive players who can turn games on their heads, but defensively, they continue to struggle even in wins.

The Lakers are currently 5th in the Western Conference but ranked 25th in the NBA in defensive rating. Therefore, they desperately need a player who would improve their defense, and there’s none better on the market than Suns wing Dillon Brooks.

Brooks would be an ideal player for the Lakers if they could meet the Suns’ demands. Brooks has every quality that is needed for the Lakers to become a contender for the championship. His size, hustle, defensive prowess, and floor spacing make him elite. On top of that, he is also experienced and brings scoring, playmaking, and versatility, which is a bonus to this Lakers roster.

While the Lakers may beat around the bush with a trade package of Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, the Suns will not accept such a package for one of their star players.

So the Lakers could be tempted to include Austin Reaves to build a team that will help them ‘win now’ rather than focusing on the future and holding onto a youngster like Reaves, who is having an MVP-level season. Reaves is 13th in the league in scoring, averaging 26.6 points per game in his fifth season. This is over a six-point increase, as he averaged just 20.2 a season ago.

How the Lakers and Suns Could Structure an Austin Reaves-Dillon Brooks Trade?

The Los Angeles Lakers have blocked several trade offers for Reaves in the past, and there’s nothing that suggests that they would allow him to leave this time. However, many people have speculated that a lineup of Doncic, Reaves, and LeBron James won’t help the Lakers win the championship.

They eagerly need some defense, and hence, Reaves is someone who allows them that negotiation chance if they are open to trading him away.

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Dillon Brooks is in the final year of his four-year contract worth $86 million, which he signed during his time with the Houston Rockets before being traded to the Suns.

Meanwhile, Reaves has a $14 million player option, and given his rise this season, he is all set to earn the big bucks. He is eligible for a potential 5-year max deal worth up to $241 million. However, a like-for-like trade is extremely unlikely, and players like Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt could be included in a three-team trade, including a bunch of picks to balance the books.

How will Dillon Brooks fit in with the Lakers, and how could the Suns lineup with Reaves?

Dillon Brooks is having a sensational season, which forces you to take him seriously. He’s putting up 21.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 steals, while shooting 45.7% from the field and 33.9% beyond the arc. This is while being a great perimeter defender, and considering that there aren’t many players of the same mold, should allow the Suns to get exceptional value if they consider trading Brooks. He is an ideal fit and exactly what the Lakers need.

However, he is leading the league with 13 technical fouls and also would throw off the team chemistry at the Lakers, given his altercations and beefs with LeBron James. While these things can be sorted out later, there is no inclination for now that the trade will go through.

Similarly, there’s a lot of possibility that the Suns would accept a deal if it includes Austin Reaves. The 27-year-old guard brings size, scoring, and versatility. He isn’t a similar player to Brooks, but he would instantly elevate the Suns as he would help their main man, Devin Booker, in scoring and playmaking.

Reaves would be an instant upgrade over Collin Gillespie. He is currently having an All-Star-level season, and the upside could be humongous. So it is unlikely that the Lakers would allow him to leave, even if the Brooks deal looks extremely enticing.