Lakers Must Sign Austin Reaves to Contract amid NBA Rumors on Rockets, Spurs, Magic

If the Los Angeles Lakers want to bring back Austin Reaves, it'll cost them.

NBA free agency is still a few weeks away from opening, and a crowd of suitors is already forming.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto recently opined that the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets could both take long looks at Reaves. Scotto also shared a sentiment that it would take a four-year, $100 million offer sheet "to really move the needle."

In that same chat, The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported hearing the San Antonio Spurs "could be a dark horse team that will try to poach Austin from the Lakers." Buha also shared, though, that the Lakers would match any offer sheet on Reaves "all the way up to $100 million."

That's a colossal amount of cash, but if that's what it takes to keep Reaves, it would be money well spent.

Reaves Is a Rising Star

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DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 18: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles during the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets in game two of the Western Conference Finals at Ball Arena on May 18, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

When hoops historians retell the story of the 2022-23 Lakers, they'll spotlight the trade deadline as the obvious line of demarcation. That's when L.A. overhauled its supporting cast to address longstanding needs for more shooting and scoring, and this roster really hit its stride afterward.

But the biggest change might have happened in-house. Reaves' transformation from a solid support piece to a legitimate rising star changed everything.

Before the deadline, he was tallying 10.5 points on 48.4/35.7/89.6 shooting and 2.2 assists in 28.3 minutes per night. Once it passed, he ratcheted up his production to 16.5 points on 57.7/45.6/84.3 shooting with 5.0 assists in 29.5 minutes.

He was a touch less efficient in the playoffs—16.9 points on 46.4/44.3/89.5 shooting with 4.6 assists in 36.2 minutes—but his impact remained enormous. In fact, he (easily) paced all of L.A.'s rotation regulars with a net differential of plus-13.5 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.

He Should Keep Getting Better

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DENVER, CO - MAY 16: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the basket during the game during round 3 game 1 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals on May 16, 2023 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The worst contracts in professional sports are often the ones paying a premium for previous production. They're often attached to an established star who is either entering or getting deeper into their 30s and no longer able to produce like they did in their prime. Teams wind up paying today's top dollar for yesterday's numbers.

The best value deals, meanwhile, are often the ones pinned to rising stars who hadn't fully made the leap before putting pen to paper. When these players exceed expectations, they have a real chance to outperform their pay rates.

Now, in Reaves' case, that could be tricky given the possibility of a nine-figure payday. Still, it can't be ruled out, because any team that signs him will get him on the upswing. Yes, he was great down the stretch, but there's no reason to assume this is as good as he'll get.

If anything, we should assume his best is yet to come. The 25-year-old is just two seasons and 125 games into his professional career. He has yet to average 30 minutes, and last season, he logged just 23.2 minutes per night. As he gains experience and expands his opportunities, his numbers could keep improving in quantity and quality.

He Is the Team's Top Priority

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 12: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives Austin Reaves #15 during Game 6 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals 2023 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers will have a lot of interesting discussions this summer. They'll have at least a handful of difficult ones, too.

Can they afford to chase Kyrie Irving or Fred VanVleet? What's the walkaway price point on an offer sheet for Rui Hachimura? What should they make of D'Angelo Russell and his disappearing act in the postseason?

L.A. has to figure out those things and many more over the offseason. What's already crystal clear, though, is the importance of keeping Reaves. And since he's a restricted free agent, the Lakers would only lose him if they decided to let him go.

That shouldn't even be a conversation. He's really good right now and has a non-zero chance of being great down the line. He fits with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, meaning Reaves can help the Lakers chase a championship right now. Sure, it'd be nice to save a few dollars on his next deal, but even if this growing pool of suitors blows up his market, that changes nothing for L.A. The No. 1 item on the offseason to-do list is bringing him back.