Here comes! The Lakers refuse to trade Reeves, Hachimura becomes a bargaining chip, James injury has good news

When the Los Angeles Lakers, who have the three giants of James, Doncic and Reeves, competed in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the whistle sounded in the final game of Game 5, their championship journey this season came to an abrupt end, but the lights in the crypto-center arena will not be extinguished. It should be emphasized that this summer's offseason is a turning point for the Los Angeles Lakers who do not meet the status quo and want to get better and win the championship. The renewal of core players and the insufficient rotation of the inside five are all very difficult issues, and every operation of the management will determine the fate of this team.

Austin Reeves' contract renewal is definitely the most important thing for the Los Angeles Lakers. This guard who has been in a undraft and counterattacked all the way and became the third core of James and Doncic. He has certain real skills. He played in 73 regular season games and averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He is a ball holder who can stand up at critical moments and solve the problem. But Reeves' contract has both pros and cons. The annual salary of $14 million next season is equivalent to a child labor contract, but it puts great pressure on Pelinka. Famous reporter Lakers Daily revealed that Reeves' team wants an annual salary contract of about $30 million, which is different from the Lakers' ideas. If they lock in the future in advance or exchange for immediate combat power, they must think twice before doing it.

It is worth mentioning that, unlike Reeves, Hachimura, who is about to expire, has become the most flexible trading asset for the Los Angeles Lakers this summer offseason. Losing to the Timberwolves in the playoffs, the exposed inside defense weaknesses forced the management to make changes. Hachimura's playing style is very suitable for the style of modern basketball, but the team needs a tall player who can protect the frame and grab rebounds. For the center candidate, General Manager Pelinka also has several goals. The first is Clarkston from the Brooklyn Nets, the second is Gafford from the Dallas Mavericks, and the third is Clinton Capela.

You should know that LeBron James revealed a good news in an interview, which was that the sprained collateral ligament on the left knee was improving after resting. Although the lower limb training cannot be done, in order to ensure the figure, he will still insist on training in the gym and exercise his upper limbs. The only thing he can do now is ride a fixed bicycle and maintain blood circulation. He is born to be idle and has too strong strength. Sitting is simply deadly. In the 2024-2025 season, LeBron James, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, played in five playoff games and averaged 25.4 points, 9 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2 steals per game. His health will affect his plan to compete for the championship next season.

Now, as the Los Angeles Lakers refuse to trade Reeves, they regard him as a non-sale product, and they will nod their consent unless they can be exchanged for good players. Then the contract renewal needs to be done more, and Hachimura Shizuo can be sent away because his expiration contract is conducive to general manager Pelinka to discuss and negotiate with other teams. It should be noted that superstar LeBron James suffered a sprain of the medial collateral ligament on his left knee. After resting, he ushered in important good news, which is that he is improving and is not expected to affect next season.

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