The Lakers heavy trading dilemma! Reeves Hachimura s stay and stay has caused controversy, and the decision this summer may determine the direction of the next five years

Recently, the Lakers' trading trends have become a hot topic in the fan circle. As an old audience who has been following the NBA for many years, every time I see this kind of suspense-filled team operation, my heart will always be thrust. We all know that as the team's current core, Doncic will definitely stay in the team steadily in the short term, just like the main trunk of a big tree, and the foundation must be stabilized first. LeBron James holds the player options next season. With his professional attitude and sense of responsibility to the team, he will most likely choose to execute it. With his veto power of trading, he is a "stabilizing needle" role. It is basically no suspense that he has his name on the roster next season. However, this matter has become a bit complicated from here, like walking into a maze, and every choice may affect the overall situation.

Speaking of Austin Reeves and Hachimura Shizuo, these two guys are quite popular in the team. I still remember when I watched the game last season, Reeves' performance at critical moments was eye-catching, and Hachimura's fighting spirit on the court was also particularly popular. To be honest, if I were asked to choose, no one would want to send these two outstanding role players away. But the real problem is there. It is time for the Lakers' lineup to be replaced. There is only a first-round draft pick and several medium-term contracts that are about to expire. It is like holding limited chips in your hand. You have to think carefully about how to use it to maximize your value. Now the outside world thinks that if the Lakers want to take a step forward, they may have to make up their minds to give up some players who can really contribute, and they also have to use the precious draft capital in their hands. This is like playing chess, and you have to give up only by giving up.

Received news in the circle that the Lakers are not very concerned about trade proposals that do not involve Reeves, unless they can be exchanged for All-Star players who are suitable for Doncic in the long term. But the key is that most of these All-Star players have not really entered the trading market yet, and their salaries are generally much higher than Reeves. This is like going to the vegetable market to buy vegetables. If you want to buy good goods, you have to spend more money. The Lakers not only have to bear more salary pressure this season, but also have to risk losing Reeves. After all, this kid may become a free agent after the end of next season, and he may be poached by other teams at that time.

Although the Lakers are more open than Reeves when trading Hachimura Shizuo, there are still many voices in the team who hope to keep him. From a basketball perspective, many players did not perform as well in the series that lost to the Timberwolves last season, but Hachimura Shizuki performed close to expectations with a knee injury, which is quite rare. Moreover, he has a contract next season and his athletic ability is also outstanding in the team. There is another thing that has made the management very confused. When James leaves one day, the team may experience a vacuum period. If players like Hachimura are retained now, it may lay some foundation for the future.

In theory, it makes sense to keep this offensive creator with an annual salary of nearly $14 million. Who doesn't want a big winger with a 41% three-point shooting percentage last season? But the problem is that General Manager Robert Pelinka has relied too much on this isolated decision before, which has led to a bit of an imbalance in the team's lineup, just like building a house without laying a solid foundation. It looks OK, but in fact it has hidden dangers.

Reeves' regular season performance is indeed impressive. Whether it is Doncic's arrival or after, he can see his progress every year. But in the Timberwolves' series, his opponent's height and athletic ability were restricted very harshly. He could not become the kind of player around Doncic who could destructive defense. Moreover, in the future, his and Doncic's salary combined may exceed half of the salary cap. Under the current salary cap system, this combination must be coordinated closely. If you have no worries at all, it must be fake.

Let's talk about Hachimura. Although he always smiles in front of the camera, it is more adorable than Los Angeles gestures, the reality is that he, Dorian Finney Smith, Doncic and James are all squeezed in the same defensive position, just like a few people huddled in a small room, and it's hard to turn around. If he can trade him to get a starting player who is urgently needed for the team, he must do it, after all, what the team needs is a puzzle that can complement each other.

There is something that I have to remind the Lakers that we can't take the risk that Reeves, the most valuable trading asset in this team, will leave for nothing next year. Now if you can exchange him for something, you have to act quickly. The same goes for Hachimura, the contract will expire next summer. If the Lakers decide not to change the "core" and lose one or even two of these two in the free market, the impact of these decisions will bother the team for a long time, just like planting a bad seed, sooner or later, the troublesome fruit will grow. Many people in the

team understand this truth, so they want to improve the lineup as soon as possible, even if they have to sacrifice one or two popular players. But some people want to wait until the training camp is over to see the team's performance before making a decision. There are even reports that the Lakers may want to wait until James is out of the account before freeing up funds for Doncic to find a future partner.

No matter which path you take, the Lakers' decision this summer will deeply affect the team's future. It’s like standing at a crossroads, you can only succeed if you choose the right path. If you still want to reverse the recent decline in the playoffs, you have to seriously consider the difficult decisions you have been avoiding before. As fans, we hope that the management can keep their eyes open and make the choice that is most conducive to the long-term development of the team. After all, everyone wants to see the Lakers return to their peak and create new glory on the court.