Shannon Sharpe acknowledged how valuable Austin Reaves is to the Lakers. However, he also added that this was exactly why the team needed to trade him to win.

Reaves played in 73 games for the Lakers this season, averaging 20.2 points per game to go along with 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. He shot 46 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from beyond the three-point line.

It starts with basketball reasons for not trading Reaves, which leads with his ability to create for himself and others. Having a secondary on-ball threat alongside Dončić and James is vital, especially come playoff time when defenses ratchet up their pressure.