Lakers' New Ownership Shake-Up: What It Means for Austin Reaves' Future with the Team

The Reaves Conundrum in a Post-Bass Era

When Dr. Jerry Buss ran the Lakers, certain players became synonymous with the franchise’s identity—Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and more recently, Austin Reaves. But as ownership transitions to new hands, so too might the team’s philosophical pillars.

Front Office Fractures Emerge

Multiple league sources confirm the Lakers’ basketball operations department is split on Reaves’ long-term value. The analytics team (my people) sees glaring efficiency drops when he shares the floor with Luka Dončić in hypothetical trade scenarios (-12.3 NetRTG in lineup projections). Meanwhile, legacy executives still view him as the heir to Caruso’s fan-favorite mantle.

The New Owner X-Factor

Here’s what most fans miss: Jeanie Buss operated on nostalgia metrics—jersey sales, social media engagement, that intangible “Laker DNA.” Early signs suggest incoming ownership cares more about cap flexibility and asset accumulation. When you run the numbers, Reaves’ $53M/4yr deal becomes movable if it nets a first-round pick or young prospect.

Historical Precedent Isn’t Kind

Since 2010, only 27% of “untouchable” role players retained that status after ownership changes (per Basketball-Reference data). Remember when everyone thought Pat Riley would never trade Justise Winslow? Front office politics shift faster than a LeBron transition dunk.

The Bottom Line: Reaves has 47 days until the trade deadline to prove his two-way efficiency can survive the West’s guard-heavy playoff race. My model gives him 63% odds of staying put—but that number drops to 41% if the Lakers slip below .500 by February.