Austin Reaves Discussion: How Much Is He Worth?

There is a lot of talk right now that Dallas will be looking for a guard in the offseason. They won't be able to keep Gafford on a starter contract. Now with them "magically" getting the #1 pick and Cooper Flagg there is a good chance PJ Washington doesn't fit anymore either.

If I'm Rob, I'm talking to my old friend Nico about making a trade of AR for Gafford and PJ. They would be a perfect fit in LA.

You would essentially have a starting lineup of wings and a legit Center. But, with Luka and LeBron both able to play guard I think it would work. It would be a very big but high IQ lineup.

Then, we just need to work on the bench.

 

It's not either or. You don't have to trade Reaves for a star or trade him for expirings and draft capital.

You can trade him for a player that solves an issues for us - a starting level big or a POA defender AND draft capital in return. That allows us to go out and fix the other problem with some expiring contracts and 2 firsts instead of just one.

I've suggested before that we trade Reaves to Orlando. I'd first ask them if they'd do Suggs + a minimum for Reaves, Kleber & Gabe. If not, I'd check if they'd do WCJr (or Goga) & Isaac + a 1st.

That second first can be helpful in getting someone like Herb Jones.

 

part of this was about value in a vacuum. slick (and i think you) had it topped at 2 1sts. that implies 2 1sts and nothing else. i'd say that's massively undervaluing reaves.

like, suggs is worth more than 2 1sts, so if reaves can be traded for him, then so is reaves.

 

I said he was worth probably 3 firsts. You’d be able to flip those 3 firsts plus our 4th and go out and get a top 20 player in my opinion.

Tier wise I see it like this:

- 1 first: rotation player
- 2 first: starter level
- 3 first: 3rd option/sub all star
- 4+ first: all star

Now before you comment on the Bridges trade, that was an overpay, which didn’t really happen before and hasn’t happened since. Picks are more valuable during this era of the CBA anyway. Cost controlled assets are key in team building.

 

yeah, that's pretty much how i see it. if reaves is going out, a legit third option that we think fits better needs to be coming back. if reaves and a 1st are going out, and allstar better be coming back.

so these reaves for gafford type ideas just get zero traction for me. i'd rather roll into next year with the center position unaddressed than move reaves to solve it, tbh.

i'm not even sure i do reaves/claxton, tbh.

 

So you are saying swap one offensive player for another offensive player? Reaves + Rui + Kleber for Anunoby works, though I am not sure why the Knicks would do that. At least he is a third option that could defend.

 

Why do you make stuff up so often? What 3 playoffs series?
In his first playoff presence, he took over against Memphis and closed the series. Btw, we got to the WCF that year where we got swept by Denver with him averaging:
21pts
5 assists
55% FG
56% 3FG with 3.5 made 3s a game

I'm in the "trade AR if it makes sense" camp. I think we should be open to trade him if the right deal comes, but we don't need to chase it or throw him to wherever. He's our best trade asset to REALLY improve the team, but not sure the right deal is there. We will get in some trouble after Bron retires if we don't have AR.

I do agree, and have said it before, that AR and Luka is not the best pairing and it creates issues for the team overall. Very hard to defend guards with those 3 and on a switch-heavy system. But it also brings a ton of good things too.

On the other hand, it can be done as we saw with Luka & Kyrie so I'm really in no rush to trade AR.

 

Austin Reaves is not Kyrie Irving...they are not similar at all. Kyrie Irving has one of the best handles in the history of the League. You are correct about his first series against Denver tho, he was excellent in that series. His current salary, makes it difficult to get like value back today, that is also true.

Without Lebron tho, I wouldn't be in a hurry, to bump his pay up into the 30M range. I really don't think, that he's the best fit with Luka after James. One caveat here...high teens, low 20's, he could be a long time, 6th man of the year candidate.

At the moment, I believe Austin is pretty much at his peak, the athleticism isn't going to get any better, he can possibly tighten up his handle a bit. He struggles with ball pressure as a PG, and the wide arc, swinging spin move, that he likes, isn't as effective against the long athletic wing defenders.

 

Reaves + Vando to Dallas for Gafford and Hardy. Salary dumping Vando makes it easier to stomach trading AR. Still have 43 mil I'm expirings + Knecht + picks + Hardy to use on a 3 and D wing and another lob threat big.

 

nope.

 

Could just be posturing, but it doesn't surprise me. A starting unit with Luka and AR is going to need to have a point-of-attack defender. So, it will be imperative that we acquire one of these, along with two vertical-spacing bigs. Now, Vando could slide back into that role, but obviously, it would be much better to have a better shooter here. DFS is a nice versatile defender, but not POA. Rui would have to be the odd man out here. Although Rui is not a terrible defender imo, he is similar to AR, where he is just okay. Again, a point of attack defender is needed here to complement Luka and AR. Rui could either be traded or relegated to the 6th man role, where he could return as the starting 4 if Lebron leaves the franchise.

 

It's absolutely insane to trade AR for Gafford.

 

He’s our quota. Can’t have him. No touchy.

 

basically exactly what i was saying a page ago, i think--guys who can produce like reaves offensively do not grow on trees. three and d guys who can play next to doncic are MUCH easier to find, as are lob threat centers. reaves can't and won't be moved for specialists like this, imo.

only way reaves is moved is for an allstar in his prime (think JJJ not daniel gafford). guys like gafford and thybulle (who could both help the team a lot) can be had with expirings/young players like knecht/picks.

and i don't think it's posturing. it's pointing out facts. if it's being purposefully leaked to the press, i think it's probably for austin's benefit more than to send a message to other teams.

and the message to other teams is clear: either pony up your star or clear 30 million in cap room to try and steal him in FA. either one will be painful for you.

 

I like Jackson, but he is not a good fit with Luka Imo, because he is not a significant lob threat, (only 1 dunk per 36 minutes, compared to 3.3 dunks for someone like Gafford, and he doesn't rebound well at all. Only 10% total rebound % compared to 15.5 for Gafford. Kessler was 2.7 and 19.9 respectively.

 

I think we need to consider defensive schemes. I don't see JJ deploying a heavy center, at least based on my read of his decisions this year. I see us valuing more of a center that is switchable (AND protects the paint) than a lob threat or a rebounder, which explains why Hayes became unplayable when it matters.

Not saying I agree or that JJ won't adjust his philosophy, but if I had to bet, I would say I don't see us going strong for a big like that. Maybe we add someone like that but cheaper/not demanding many assets to get, like Capela

 

https://x.com/Tim_NBA/status/1923387203222114794?t=xoxBh3RbBSzNpj0lATEtZg&s=19

https://x.com/Tim_NBA/status/1923387851015626880?t=gyqJCxB7iNktPPwlCTzJYg&s=19