The Los Angeles Lakers are in the 2024-25 NBA playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, and chances are that wouldn’t have happened without Luka Doncic’s help. The Slovenian superstar has been thriving in L.A. after the Lakers stole him away from the Dallas Mavericks two months ago, leaving fans to hope the success continues into the postseason.

Even though some fans were sad to see Anthony Davis shipped off to the Lone Star State, it was a price the Lakers had to pay to land a player of Doncic’s caliber. Los Angeles hasn’t had any regrets about the deal so far, however, that may not have been the case had the franchise’s owner not stopped general manager Rob Pelinka from making a big mistake.

Jeanie Buss Stopped Lakers From Moving Austin Reaves in Luka Doncic Trade

When the Doncic-Davis swap was first announced, many NBA fans assumed that Austin Reaves was going to Dallas as a part of the trade. The 26-year-old guard was often viewed as one of his team’s most tradeable pieces due to his age and talent, which is why it was surprising to see him stay put.

“When Jeanie Buss heard about this (trade), she said we’re not trading (Reaves),” NBA insider Brian Windhorst told Bill Simmons on Friday’s episode of The Ringer. “I’m sure Rob Pelinka didn’t want to trade him either… The excuse that comes out is that Jeanie Buss said, ‘Austin Reaves is not being traded.'”

Windhorst and Simmons both made it clear that, if they were the Mavericks, they wouldn’t have traded Doncic to the Lakers if Reaves wasn’t part of the deal. Instead of shopping for a better return, Dallas settled for Davis, Max Christie, and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick — a price paid that only looks better with each passing day.

Reaves has always been a Lakers fan favorite, however, his game has reached a new level since the blockbuster deadline deal. In 28 games played since Doncic made his L.A. debut on Feb. 10, Reaves is averaging a whopping 21.9 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 47.8% from the floor and 39.6% from deep.

The electric performance has only made Reaves’ contract look like even more of a bargain. The former Wichita State/Oklahoma product is currently playing on a $12.9 million cap hit, which increases to $13.9 million in 2025-26 with a $14.8 million player option for the year after that.

Having said that, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin recently reported that the Lakers want to keep Reaves in town beyond his current contract and could work on a new deal as early as next summer.

As fans hope to see an extension eventually signed, Reaves and the Lakers will continue focusing on their current task: navigating the 2024-25 NBA playoffs.

The good news is that all signs point to a strong postseason run, especially if Reaves continues stepping up. The Lakers are opening the playoffs with the fourth-best 2025 NBA Finals (+1500) on FanDuel Sportsbook.