Rich Paul Floats Lakers Reaves to Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson

Rich Paul suggested on his podcast that the Lakers explore sending Austin Reaves to the Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson Jr., saying "Memphis would definitely pay Austin" and that "he would become their leading scorer and point guard." The article sketches a no-first-round-picks swap, shows the Lakers taking Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. while Memphis would get Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber and a small trade exception, and then unpacks the salary, roster and cap math that would make the move messy. Merlin sees the deal as tempting but tangled. Jackson is a two-time All Star and former Defensive Player of the Year on a roughly $240 million commitment, while Reaves is chasing a big new contract. Memphis may prefer draft assets in a rebuild, and the Lakers must weigh defense over Reaves’ playmaking and future cap flexibility. Making the idea public could cool talks as much as it heats them.