The Memphis Grizzlies were humiliated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs. This made it evident that changes were needed if they wanted to become a contender in a stacked Western Conference. Now, they have made their first move. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Memphis has traded Desmond Bane to the Magic in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and four first-round picks. While Bane is an underrated player, what the Grizzlies have gotten in exchange for him has sent the NBA world into a frenzy. 

Most people cannot come to terms with how the Grizzlies have managed to pull this off. We mean the first four round picks stand out on their own, then you throw in KCP and Anthony, both of whom are big-time depth pieces. So, it’s crystal clear that Memphis has got the better deal here. However, for Lakers fans, this begs the question of how much value they can get out of Austin Reaves if they decide to trade him. There’s no doubt that the Desmond Bane trade has set the tone for a long summer awaiting us.

Nobody saw this move coming– especially not at this price. If he can fetch that kind of package, AR might get the Lakers more than they need to strengthen their roster. Reaves is coming off a stellar regular season, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. Although he couldn’t recreate these numbers in the playoffs, neither did Bane. Lakers are in dire need of size and depth, with Austin Reaves being the only option they could trade for. While it remains to be seen if the LA front office decides to trade or not, this Bane trade has made things interesting. 

“We getting 5 FRPs from Reaves,” a fan tweeted, showcasing how good a package they can get for their shooting guard. The 26-year-old has been linked with several teams since LA’s early exit from the playoffs. More so because of his contract situation. Although Reaves becomes eligible to sign a four-year $89.2 million deal, he can wait out and get a whopping $42.5 million per year contract in 2026. The Lakers might not be willing to offer him that kind of deal. This makes him a good option to trade for LA. But, will they? The fans think they should.

Lakers fans urge the front office to trade Austin Reaves after Desmond Bane trade

Austin Reaves has been the talk of the town mostly because of the fact that he’s the only real asset the Los Angeles Lakers can trade to bolster their roster. We’ve all seen LA struggle without a real starting center in the playoffs, and that will not get any better if they don’t trade for a big man. AR being shipped might be the only way LA can land a starting center that will make them real contenders, especially after the Desmond Bane trade. “Bane gets you KCP, Cole Anthony, and 4 first-round picks, but you guys don’t wanna trade Reaves?” a fan questioned. 

Meanwhile, another fan emphasized Rob Pelinka and Co.’s poor negotiating skills. “Teams are giving up 4 1sts for Desmond Bane and yall were trying to trade Austin Reaves for a backup center.” A fan tweeted after Bane’s stunning trade. He’s got a fair point, saying that the Lakers were trading a player who’s more or less similar in terms of production to Bane. Another fan echoed similar feelings, as he wrote, “Reaves might be worth 5 first if players like Bane is worth 4 on a terrible contract.“

However, this was not all; more fans urged the Lakers to make this trade. “Austin Reaves should net at minimum 3 firsts.” That seems quite realistic, as Desmond Bane’s trade can be expected to inflate the entire trade market. This trade will not only affect Austin Reaves’ value, but every trade that is supposed to go through over the offseason.

It will be interesting to see how things work out for the Lakers and the other teams in the league, as everyone gears up for the upcoming campaign.