JJ Redick made Austin Reaves believe the Lakers are his team just as much as they are LeBron James’ and Luka Doncic’s, and he proved it. With Doncic out for personal reasons and LeBron posting his first single-digit scoring night since 2007, Reaves dropped a 44-point masterpiece to keep L.A. alive. But after one rough outing against the Spurs tonight, fans were already shifting their focus to someone else.

Austin Reaves picked the worst possible night to go cold in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. He finished with just 15 points on a shaky 6-of-16 shooting night, looking nothing like the guy who was dropping 28 a game when LeBron James was out.

After the Lakers coughed up a brutal 26–8 run early, they needed someone to calm the offense, and Reaves never quite found his rhythm. L.A. came in with the 21st-ranked defense and somehow managed to look even worse. San Antonio torched them for 39 first-quarter points, built a 22-point lead, and never eased up.

What makes Reaves’ slump sting more is how sharp he looked as the No. 2 option, averaging 28.3 points, 8.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals before LeBron James returned. But once James stepped back in, Reaves slid to the third option, his efficiency dipped, and he hasn’t looked the same since.

Three quiet games with the full trio active have sparked a real question: do Bron and Reaves even fit together?
With the Lakers searching for answers and the defensive issues piling up, fans have already started throwing trade ideas at JJ Redick.

Fans call out for an Austin Reaves trade

One fan even jumped straight to the point, saying, “I’d trade Austin Reaves for Herb Jones and Trey Murphy.” That sentiment echoed with what Bill Simmons already hinted at, calling Jones’ contract “literally what the Lakers need” while laying out an easy package of Knecht, Kleber, and a 2031 first. Murphy’s name hasn’t officially hit the trade block, but the buzz around him hasn’t slowed down either.

With the Pelicans sitting at 3–22, they’re focused on surviving the season, yet both sides know he’s one of the best shooting wings in the league right now, the exact type of player the Lakers would love to get their hands on.

Another netizen commented, “Only if we strike out on Herb or Trey Murphy,” and it’s clear why Murphy sits at the top of L.A.’s wishlist. He’s exactly the kind of wing the Lakers don’t have, a 6’8″ shooter who moves like a guard and defends with real edge. He’s hit threes at a steady 38% for his career, and that mix of size, shooting, and mobility is priceless for a team that struggles to keep up with younger, faster squads like OKC and Houston. If the Lakers want a real perimeter answer, Murphy checks every box.

Another fan outrightly threatened AR saying, “Austin Reaves, if you don’t come back looking like Kyrie Irving at his peak, I’m gonna charter a plane, travel to Los Angeles, and pay for your taxi to New Orleans in exchange for Trey Murphy.” That tells you how badly Lakers fans want Murphy. Even before the season tipped off, his name was floating around in trade chatter. At the time, reports have said the Pelicans want a massive return: multiple first-rounders plus legit young players.

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On top of that, Murphy just locked in a four-year, $113 million extension, a deal that signaled he’s part of their long-term plan. Whether the Pelicans would actually consider moving him now is anyone’s guess.

One fan even acted as GM and said, “Swap Trey Murphy for AR. That’s the call I’m making if I’m Rob.” But that fantasy hits a wall pretty fast when you look at what’s actually been happening behind the scenes. This past offseason, reports said the Lakers turned down over 20 trade offers for Austin Reaves. The message from the front office was pretty loud: they’d only move him for a superstar of the Giannis or Jokic level. And now that Giannis is on the trade market, fans dreaming of a Trey Murphy swap might be aiming in the wrong direction.

Another fan went all out imagining the trade, writing, “Pelicans: Reaves + Knecht + Kleber + Vando + 1 FP + swap; Lakers: Trey Murphy + Herb Jones + Missi + Alvarado.” But looking closer, the last time Reaves was a free agent, he gave the Lakers a hometown discount, signing a four-year, $52 million deal, and he’s made it clear he wants to stay in L.A. to win. Fans should probably cut him some slack and give him a night off.