As the Los Angeles Lakers get ready for the new NBA season, the front office is already thinking about next summer. Star guard Austin Reaves will be eligible to become a free agent, and there have already been reports that he will opt out of his current deal. The Lakers have been very adamant that they won’t be trading Reaves, despite calls for the team to make it happen. Reaves will be going from making around $14 million to at least $30 million, if not closer to $40 million, on the open market.
The big question for the Lakers is whether the team sees Reaves as worth this salary jump, and if he is, then all the trade talk is a moot point. But there are many around the league who believe that Reaves isn’t worth this much on the salary cap, and this could then see the Lakers trade him for future assets, rather than potentially lose him in free agency.
In 73 games played in the regular season last year, Reaves averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. The guard also shot 37.7 percent from beyond the 3-point line as well.
However, for now, the Lakers are dead set on keeping Reaves as part of the core, and the hope is that the two sides can work something out. Reaves even said recently that he wants to remain in Los Angeles with the Lakers for his entire career, and that he is hopeful for that to happen. But whether the two sides can come to an agreement remains to be seen, and this will be something to watch moving forward. The hope for the Lakers is that this won’t be a distraction for the year, especially with Los Angeles looking to go after a title.
Austin Reaves Signs Massive Deal With Los Angeles Lakers
As all the rumors swirl, the most logical move for both sides is for the Lakers to keep Reaves in town for the long haul. The guard has developed into one of the more exciting players in the NBA, and he is a success story for the Lakers’ scouting department. Reaves joined the Lakers as an undrafted free agent years ago, and he has carved out an excellent career for himself so far. The guard is one of the more important pieces to this Lakers team, and he is likely to be on the roster for the foreseeable future.
Los Angeles can’t afford to lose him for nothing next summer, so signing him to an extension makes sense. The Lakers can move forward with Reaves on the roster next to star Luka Doncic, giving the team one of the better backcourts around the league.
Doncic and Reaves showed good chemistry in a limited time last season, offering some hope for the future. Los Angeles needs to be smart with Reaves, and this is one of the best ways to make it happen.
If anything, the Lakers can then use Reaves as a salary dump in a different move down the line. The team should be looking to keep him in town on a new deal, and this could be a win-win move for each party.
