New NBA Rumors on Potential Austin Reaves Landing Spots amid Lakers Contract Buzz
Austin Reaves will be one of the more intriguing names on the free agent market this summer, though a return to the Los Angeles Lakers still seems the most likely outcome.
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, "The Lakers are widely expected to re-sign Reaves, whose fondness for Lakerland as well as his blossoming backcourt partnership alongside Luka Dončić are regarded as strong lures that suggest the sides will ultimately come to terms on a new pact. Yet it is unclear what sort of external interest Reaves will generate after his strong production over the past two seasons... at least partly due to the inherent skepticism that stems from trying to woo him away from the Lakers. Brooklyn and Detroit have been mentioned as potential Reaves suitors, but neither is seen as a certainty yet."
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Reaves, 28, will assuredly decline his $14.8 million player option for next season, and a big deal is coming. Dan Woike of The Athletic reported Friday that "Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Reaves to have interest from the Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered."
He added that the Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are expected to have interest as well and can clear up the cap space to make such an offer. In other words, the Lakers are going to have to pony up to keep Reaves.
"You can't let a talent like that walk," a Western Conference executive told Woike. "That would be a disaster."
Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game last season, adding 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from three. His ability to stretch the floor off the ball or operate as a secondary ball-handler after Dončić makes him a nice fit with the Slovenian superstar.
The Lakers have a fascinating summer ahead of them, with LeBron James also hitting free agency (or potentially retiring). But keeping Reaves in Los Angeles appears to be the top priority.
