The Los Angeles Lakers have set their sights on securing a third star player, and there’s speculation that Austin Reaves might be part of the assets considered in potential trade scenarios. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Chicago Bulls are expected to express interest in acquiring Austin Reaves, especially if discussions involve a trade for Zach LaVine.

 However, the Lakers, keen on acquiring LaVine, are facing challenges due to salary constraints that could impact the complexity of any prospective deal.

“I expect Lakrs to express interest in Zach LaVine. But he is making almost 40 million dollars, so the total salaries have to reach that amount in a trade. The Lakers got D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura, but they’re not trade-eligible until mid-January, and I am sure the Bulls would covet Austin Reaves in any potential Zach LaVine trade as any team would,” Charania said on FanDuel TV.

“If you are the Lakers and trying to pursue the third star, whether that is Zach LaVine or anyone else that becomes available, the player that teams will ask about is Austin Reaves. 100%,” the NBA insider added. “To this point, the Lakers have not been inclined to move Austin Reaves. They did not put him in the deal for Kyrie Irving.”

The Lakers have expressed longstanding interest in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, but as of now, no definitive steps have been taken towards a trade.

The team faces limitations in its trade options due to recently signed contracts. Currently, eligible players for trade include LeBron James, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Maxwell Lewis, and their three two-way contract players. The Lakers have until December 15 to potentially ease some of these restrictions, providing them with a window to explore and execute trade opportunities.