Arguably the Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest order of business this offseason is taken care of as Austin Reaves has agreed to re-sign with the team on a four-year, $185 million maximum contract.
There was mutual interest between Reaves and the Lakers all along, so much so that he never even reached free agency. And despite that interest, L.A. still went all out recruiting their star guard to return.
“Shortly after the NBA Finals, the Lakers ownership and front office met with Austin Reaves and his agents at the team’s practice facility in Los Angeles,” Shams Charania of ESPN reported.
“And it was in a private event room, and they had all of the personal touches for Austin Reaves in this meeting. They played his favorite country music, they had personalized AR-initialed pillows for Austin Reaves and everyone else that was in attendance. That’s all nice though, right? It’s nice to get AR-initialed pillows for yourself.
“But it all comes down to the money. How did that happen today, where it’s four years, $185 million max contract for Austin Reaves? I’m told over the last 24 or 48 hours, the Lakers came to the understanding that Austin Reaves had multiple max contracts available to him in free agency if he hit the market on July 1. One of those teams, the Detroit Pistons, were coming aggressively for him.
“So that’s why today, the Lakers stepped up and gave him this deal, four years, $185 million. He becomes the richest player ever to sign a contract at this level for an undrafted player in NBA history.”
The Lakers have always been run as a family business that takes care of its stars, and that is exactly what they are doing with Reaves.
They could have offered him a five-year deal, but the most the other teams could offer is around the four years and $185 million that he signed for. L.A. sweetened the deal a bit by giving the 28-year-old a player option for the 2029-30 season.
Now that Reaves is taken care of, the focus for the Lakers can shift to building a championship contender around him and Luka Doncic, and they certainly have a lot of work do to heading into free agency.
Pistons tried to make a run at Austin Reaves
One reason the Lakers had to offer Reaves a full maximum contract or close to it is because he was expected to have other suitors in free agency with the Detroit Pistons reportedly being among them.
The Pistons tried to draft Reaves in 2021 and are known to be looking for perimeter scoring, so their interest made a lot of sense. Ultimately though, Reaves wanted to remain with the Lakers and is getting his wish.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
