The Los Angeles Lakers are planning to re-sign combo guard Austin Reaves, small forward Rui Hachimura and point guard D’Angelo Russell this summer, according to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Reaves and Hachimura are restricted free agents, while Russell is an unrestricted free agent.
For the first time in the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era, the Lakers are expected to prioritize continuity and chemistry over chasing flashier upgrades this offseason.
“But all indications, both publicly and privately, point to the organization planning to re-sign restricted free agents Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura and unrestricted free agent D’Angelo Russell, as The Athletic previously reported,” Buha wrote. “The Lakers are also expected to try to retain unrestricted free agent Dennis Schröder and Lonnie Walker IV, though they do not have full Bird rights on either.”
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.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Meanwhile, the Lakers acquired Hachimura from the Washington Wizards for guard Kendrick Nunn and draft picks. The Gonzaga product averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 33 regular-season games with Los Angeles. The 25-year-old then put up 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in the 2023 postseason.
As for Russell, the Lakers acquired him from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the February trade deadline and the Ohio State product played well in his 17 games with Los Angeles, averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 41.4% from 3.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
D’Lo also put up good numbers in the first two rounds of the 2023 playoffs versus the Grizzlies and Warriors. The Louisville native averaged 15.7 points and 5.0 assists and scored 31 points in Game 6 against the Grizzlies.
However, Russell was very bad against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The lefty averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 32.3% from the field and 13.3% from beyond the arc. The Lakers could re-sign Russell to a front-loaded two-year deal, per Buha.
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