Although retaining Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, both of whom are about to become free agents, is a chief priority for the Los Angeles Lakers, it isn’t a foregone conclusion they will actually do so.
Both are young, ascendant players who could help a number of teams, and not surprisingly, there are already reports about teams being potential suitors for them.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Rockets are interested in snagging both players from the Purple and Gold (h/t Lakers Daily).
Via Houston Chronicle:
“Equipped with so much spending power, the most in the NBA, and a coach, Ime Udoka, that is popular among NBA players, the Rockets have not prioritized specific targets as much as a pool of players to pursue,” wrote Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
“According to a person with knowledge of their thinking, they have interest in the [Milwaukee] Bucks’ Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, the [Denver] Nuggets’ Bruce Brown, the [Utah] Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, the [Brooklyn] Nets’ Cam Johnson, the [Golden State] Warriors’ Donte DiVincenzo, the [Memphis] Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks, the [Toronto] Raptors’ Jakob Poeltl and the [Dallas] Mavericks’ Dwight Powell. Media reports have tied them to James Harden and Fred VanVleet.”
This seems to back up a recent report that said Houston will go after Reaves if they fail to land James Harden.
The Rockets have a very young team with a number of interesting prospects. Hachimura and Reaves could help them expedite their building process.
But of course, the Lakers have indicated they will do almost whatever it takes to keep the two, especially Reaves.
Story originally appeared on LeBron Wire