There were rumors that the Utah Jazz wanted Austin Reaves, though that was before they traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. After the JJJ trade happened, the Reaves understandably died down, but now the rumors have perked up again, as Eric Pincus revealed a few days ago that they want him.
It's exciting to think of the possibility of bringing him in while simultaneously hard to see how the Jazz would pull that off because trading for Jackson ate a lot of their cap space. There is one way they could do it, but one could argue that they would be helping the Lakers more than they're helping themselves: orchestrating a double sign-and-trade swapping Walker Kessler for Reaves.
The Lakers have wanted Kessler in the past, and that need has only been further amplified: back then, they wanted to pair him with Anthony Davis, and now they are desperate for a two-way big man, period. Kessler would be perfect for them with what he provides in the frontcourt and what the Lakers need.
The Jazz and the Lakers could make a double sign-and-trade, but it will likely involve many moving parts. Golden State and Brooklyn agreed to a deal exactly like this when they swapped Kevin Durant and D'Angelo Russell back in 2019.
Doing so would hard cap them at the first apron, so they would have ask themselves if a deal like this truly benefits them in the long run.
Is that even worth it for either side?
There's no denying Reaves' or Kessler's talent, but would either the Lakers or Jazz really agree to a swap like this with what they would lose? The Lakers are in line to lose LeBron James this summer, so is it really in their best interest to lose their second-best scorer on top of him?
The Jazz's Achilles heel has been their defense, so is it really in their best interest to mess with what could be their best defensive frontcourt duo in Kessler and JJJ since the days of Mark Eaton and Karl Malone?
In a perfect world for either side, they would love each other's aforementioned player if they were available, but likely not at the expense of giving up the aforementioned player they have.
Moreover, the Jazz's desperation for someone like Reaves isn't nearly at the level that the Lakers would be for Kessler. One could argue that if they get their hands on a big man in the draft, Kessler would become more expendable, but would they do that if they have the chance to help out other areas like at guard?
It's definitely an intriguing scenario that shouldn't be laughed at. Teams that do these trades do so with the belief that the ends justify the means. Both teams would have to come up with a pretty compelling case for why the ends would for them if they agreed to a swap like this.