Windhorst on Lakers' Austin Reaves: 'No Way They're Letting Him Walk' in Free Agency

The outcome of the Western Conference finals could force the Los Angeles Lakers to rethink their offseason priorities. When it comes to Austin Reaves, though, they may have little appetite to disrupt the status quo.

"There's no way they're letting him walk," ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported at the 21:31 mark of his Hoop Collective podcast Sunday. "Because they absolutely had egg dripping from their chin on letting Alex Caruso walk. And Reaves, let's just be honest, he's their third-best player."

During the 2021 offseason, Los Angeles let finances get in the way of a reunion with Alex Caruso. His presence has been sorely missed on the West Coast, especially after he earned a first-team All-Defensive nod this year.

The Lakers don't want to repeat the mistake of underestimating the value of a key role player, and Reaves has had an even larger impact than Caruso did in purple and gold.

Through 15 playoff games, the 6'5" wing is averaging 16.9 points and 4.7 assists.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, Reaves' breakout could price him out of a return.

The Athletic's Danny Leroux noted in March how Los Angeles will likely be capped at a four-year, $50.8 million offer because of its salary cap situation and the collective bargaining agreement.

On Saturday, NBA insider Marc Stein reported in a fan chat when it comes to Reaves "there will definitely be a team or two that offers more than the Lakers want to spend."

The 24-year-old might be content to earn a little under $13 million annually to stay in Los Angeles. Accepting the Lakers' best contract proposal may require him to leave a not insignificant chunk of money on the table, though.