Austin Reaves Would Be Paid More Money Than The Lakers Had Hoped
Austin Reaves Would Be Paid More Money Than The Lakers Had Hoped. The 2023 playoffs have also demonstrated why, even though the price is more than desired, the Lakers must give Reaves that sum to keep him.
The 2023 playoffs have also demonstrated why, even though the price is more than desired, the Lakers must give Reaves that sum to keep him. Look at Reaves’ series stats, including points and accurate shooting percentage, when the Lakers are down to the Nuggets 0-3:
- 23 points, a TS% of 73
- 22 points, a TS% of 66.9
- 23 points, a TS% of 91
Nothing about this is surprising. Even Lakers team governor Jeanie Buss has stated that she wants Reaves to return. Reaves has indicated his desire to remain with the organization. It is also not news that other teams are interested. Reaves won’t provide a hometown discount because this is his first generational wealth deal, and it is an issue of money.
Other opponents have also noticed how Reaves has been a bright spot for the Lakers. In a recent conversation for readers of his newsletter, Marc Stein published this.
Austin Reaves’s market … not clear yet. But there will definitely be a team or two that offers more than the Lakers want to spend. There will be at least one.
Reaves is under a minimum deal, so the Lakers can only give him a maximum of four years and $50.8 million during their early bird period. As Stein points out, it is anticipated that a club with a lot of youthful talent and a need for guards.
Orlando, certainly, but there are others who would score higher than that. The Arenas Rule comes into play, making the second part of that deal much more unpleasant, even if the Lakers can match any offer.
Consider Reaves receiving a four-year, $80 million contract from a club, which is not improbable given how well he has played in these playoffs. It would cost $20 million over four years on Orlando’s books (or the books of whichever team makes the offer).
On the Lakers’ books, they are only allowed to offer $11.4 million this year. That eventually implies that the first two years of this hypothetical offer would be $11.4 million and $12.2 million for the Lakers‘ payroll, followed by the last two years of this offer when Reaves would earn more than $27 million each season. The contract is a deadly pill.
The Lakers will pay because they have no other option.
This postseason has demonstrated Reaves’ significance as the backup shot creator the Lakers thought Russell Westbrook would be. The Lakers will match any offer, but it will cost money and raise concerns about their other free agents and decisions this summer, including Troy Brown Jr., Rui Hachimura, Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Schroder, and others.
This club looks like a contender, and the Lakers should be fully committed to making another push next season if they want to maintain the nucleus of the roster built around LeBron James and Anthony Davis this summer.
But the bill will be due in a few years. The new CBA will force teams above the second tax apron to make difficult decisions (go over $17.5 million over the luxury tax, and teams won’t be able to use any mid-level exception, can’t use the buyout market, can’t aggregate contracts in a trade, and much more).
