The Los Angeles Lakers are a lock to re-sign guard Austin Reaves this summer, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Reaves becomes a restricted free agent on June 30. The Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs are expected to pursue the Arkansas native once free agency begins, but it doesn’t look like Reaves will be leaving Los Angeles.
“The Lakers, league sources say, are a lock to match any offer on Reaves — even if someone signs Reaves to the maximum allowable offer sheet worth nearly $100 million over four years,” Stein wrote.
As a restricted free agent, Reaves can either re-sign with the Lakers or sign an offer sheet with a rival team. Los Angeles can match any offer sheet Reaves signs as long as it comes within 48 hours.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Austin Reaves & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Reaves averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists during the 2022-23 regular season in 64 games. The 25-year-old took his game to another level in the 2023 playoffs, averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 16 games versus the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets.
If Lakers superstar small forward LeBron James doesn’t retire this summer, the four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP wants to see Reaves back next season, league sources told NBA Analysis Network.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Austin Reaves & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Back in April, Reaves told Shams Charania of Stadium that he wants to stay with the Lakers his entire career. The Oklahoma product grew up a huge Kobe Bryant fan.
“Yeah I wanna be a Laker,” Reaves told Charania. “Obviously, they gave me the first opportunity. I was a huge Laker fan growing up. Big Kobe fan. So honestly, just to be able to play for the Lakers organization is special and I wanna be a Laker. So hopefully we can get this done and I can stay there for hopefully my whole career.”
Reaves has career averages of 10.2 points and 2.6 assists with the Lakers. Don’t be surprised if he makes an All-Star team soon.
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