The Los Angeles Lakers' offseason priorities are already generating debate, with reporting indicating the franchise is prioritising Austin Reaves over LeBron James. On The Herd, Colin Cowherd made clear he has no issue with that hierarchy.
"That's the right move for the Lakers," Cowherd said, framing the decision around age and fit. Reaves, in his athletic prime, profiles as the kind of secondary ball-handler the Lakers need to take pressure off Luka Doncic, and Cowherd argued that value simply can't be allowed to walk out the door for nothing in return.
He invoked a cautionary tale from the franchise's recent past, comparing the situation to letting Alex Caruso leave. Reaves, Cowherd noted, is a more consistent offensive player than Caruso was, a capable play initiator who has improved every season, and a free agent too good to lose without compensation.
Where Cowherd drew a firm line was on exactly how high Reaves should sit in the pecking order. He laid out a clear hierarchy for a Lakers team built to contend, with Doncic as the franchise centrepiece, head coach JJ Redick steering the operation, and Reaves slotting in as the third option.
"He has to be your number three for you to be a title team," Cowherd said. "He can't be your two. He can be your number three."
The broadcaster also flagged the delicate dynamic of openly ranking Reaves ahead of James, a future Hall of Famer still on the roster. Cowherd suggested the Lakers will simply have to hope the move doesn't bruise egos, while making clear he doesn't believe James is in a position to demand otherwise at this stage of his career.
For Cowherd, the logic is straightforward. Reaves is younger, cost-controllable and central to the Lakers' future around Doncic, and his market value is only rising. Securing a reasonable, potentially movable deal now, he argued, is far smarter business than risking his departure for nothing, even if it means an uncomfortable conversation about where an ageing superstar fits.
