Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. This comes after he declined his $14.9 million player option.
Reaves’ Season
Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals last season. However, he only appeared in 51 games after being sidelined with calf and oblique injuries. Those injuries led to a lot of ups and downs over the course of the season.
Over the first 22 games of the season, he averaged 29.3 points per game, including games of 51, 41, and 44 points. He suffered a calf strain on Christmas Day that caused him to miss 19 games. After he came back, his scoring took a major drop, scoring more than 19 points twice in the 14 games after his injury.
Right when he started to heat up toward the end of the season, he suffered a Grade 2 left oblique injury. It caused him to miss the start of L.A.’s first-round series against the Houston Rockets. He played in the final two games against the Rockets and all four games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he averaged 20.0 points and 5.8 assists.
The Impact
Securing Reaves’ long-term future with the Lakers was what mattered most. He was the second option for most of the season and, at times, the first. That means the eventual retirement of LeBron James won’t have as much of an impact on the Lakers if he can continue to score at a high level.
There are some questions about his compatibility with Luka Doncic, however. He is a shot-creator who likes to initiate the pick-and-roll and generate shots close to the rim while drawing fouls. That is the same area that Doncic likes to work in, so the Lakers will want him to develop a strong off-ball game.
This also means that it is now or never for the Lakers. Reaves is 28 years old and in the prime of his career, while Doncic is 27. If the Lakers are unable to capitalize on their championship window with these two players, there are some serious questions that will have to be raised.
The Rest Of The Offseason
While securing Reaves is vital. The Lakers have a lot of other roster questions that need to be answered. The only Lakers players signed for next season without any options are Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, and Adou Thiero.
They have to resign a couple of key contributors. James is the first, whose $52.6 million salary is coming off the books. They also have to resign Luke Kennard, who was one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the league last season.
Additionally, the Lakers need to address the center position. It is unclear what they are going to do with Deandre Ayton. There are a number of options on the free agent market, including Jalen Duren, Walker Kessler, and Mark Williams. All three centers could be lured in by the prospect of playing with Doncic and Reaves.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Lakers look like next season. They have their star trio, but it is clear that they need to make other moves to build a true contender.
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