As NBA Free Agency gets set to begin, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most talked about teams in the league. How will they improve the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis? Can they keep a player that they view as a rising star in Austin Reaves?
Reaves is going to be one of the more intriguing free agents to keep an eye on. While it is widely expected that he will remain with the Lakers, there are teams around the league that could offer him a very hefty contract. All reports have stated that L.A. would then match any offer sheet that he agrees to.
While many fans in Los Angeles want the Lakers to keep Reaves in town, one NBA analyst is not holding back on his thoughts about the situation.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Los Angeles Lakers & Austin Reaves Updates
Colin Cowherd ripped into the Lakers for being willing to overpay Reaves just to keep him. Here’s a clip of the brutal opinion.
There is no question that Reaves burst onto the scene for the Lakers this season. He showcased a much-improved offensive game and the ability to both shoot the ball and create. The talent is there for him to become a special player, but he is far from a guarantee at this stage of his career.
During the 2022-23 NBA season, Reaves ended up averaging 13.0 points, 3.4 assist, and 3.0 rebounds per game. Those numbers are solid, but are they truly worth the over $100 million contract that the Lakers have been reportedly willing to match? Reaves also shot 52.9 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from the three-point line.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Los Angeles Lakers & Austin Reaves Updates
At 25 years of age, Reaves still has plenty of room to develop and improve even more. That does make keeping him a top priority for the Lakers, but they should still not be willing to overpay on an unproven player.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see where Austin Reaves ends up this offseason. The Lakers seem like the clear-cut favorite, but another team could find a way to get creative with an offer to deter L.A. from matching. Only time will tell, but Reaves will be a name to watch closely.
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