The Nets are expected to make a full max offer to Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves in free agency, multiple front-office sources tell Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Woike also hears from league sources that the Pistons and Hawks are part of a group of interested teams with the ability to create cap space and get involved in the bidding for Reaves. He adds that other teams could emerge as free agency draws closer.
Based on the NBA’s latest salary cap estimate, a five-year, maximum-salary deal for Reaves with the Lakers would be worth a projected $239.3MM, while a four-year max deal with another team would be valued at $177.4MM.
Woike notes that the Lakers have an exclusive window to negotiate a new deal with Reaves, starting on the day after the NBA Finals conclude and running through the start of free agency on June 30. Reaves has a relatively small cap hold at $20.9MM, so Woike states that L.A. would like to reach an agreement with him during that time, but delay the contract signing until other offseason moves are complete.
Reaves turned out to be a major bargain on the four-year, $53.8MM deal he signed with the Lakers in 2023. That included a $14.9MM player option for next season, which Reaves is certain to decline by the June 29 deadline.
Although he was hampered by injuries, Reaves still managed to put together a productive season, averaging a career-high 23.3 PPG in 51 games, along with 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 34.5 minutes per night. He suffered a Grade 2 left oblique strain in early April that affected his availability for the playoffs, and he shot just 40.7% from the field and 25.7% from three-point range in six games once he returned.
Reaves prefers to remain with the Lakers, according to Woike. He has developed a strong relationship with Luka Doncic and LeBron James as well as coach JJ Redick and enjoys the lifestyle that he has in L.A. However, Woike states that money is likely to be a very strong factor in the final decision, as Reaves has been undervalued throughout his career.
From the Lakers’ standpoint, they don’t want to lose one of their most valuable assets as Reaves provides a secondary playmaker alongside Doncic while being capable of creating his own shots. A team source told Woike that defensive concerns about lineups with Doncic and Reaves are overstated, and Reaves has emerged as a strong locker room leader.
Woike adds that the Lakers might be in position to be more frugal in their negotiations with Reaves if the market were different, but they understand there will be a strong demand around the league if he’s permitted to reach free agency.
Brooklyn Nets doing Brooklyn Nets things. Incredibly misguided pursuit at that dollar amount.
lol how? he’s a top 25 offensive player
Ok, so he’s great for a third of a basketball game?
Just means the Lakers will spend more on him and not a team friendly deal. He wants to stay with lakers so he will end up signing with them closer to teh $40 million a year deal.
He is NOT a top 25 player. Good numbers but a number 3 guy on a good team.
Hahahaha
Yes really dumb. However this could be AR agent running up the price. Lakers trying to low ball and can’t afford to lose him. No cap space until the renounce LeBron or sign him. Lakers are kinda F unless they just come out a day we’re not resigning LeBron.
Plus look at it from AR standpoint. He’s tired of living in LeBron’s Shadow and the way the Media LeBron’s media. Keep talking about trading him instead of getting rid of LeBron you would want to get out of there too
Agreed. Horrible idea to sign Reaves. The Nets are in a perfect position if they would just be patient and continue to build piece by piece.
Nets are in a terrible position right now for rebuilding teams. They don’t have nothing and signing four first round picks last year. Really didn’t help any development at all except I think the little point guard. Can’t just throw a bunch of 19-year-olds out. There doesn’t really work out that way. They don’t really have anything but signing AR would further tank them even more. But hey, hopefully they can win the lottery this year I don’t really see a path to success for the next 4 or 5 years
reaves might go down as 1 of the all time great undrafted players in nba history
Most overpaid..:..corrected it for ya.
Sign and trade. He’s not worth that number. Get assets and flip for Giannis.
I like this because it will either make the Lakers overpay him or they will lose him
What does he do take less money to be the face of a team like the Nets, join an up-and-coming team like the Pistons or does he stay with the Lakers get max dollars and become number two with Luka. The Lakers have a dilemma sort they sign Reaves, and give LBJ what he wants, they end up basically with the same roster from this past season, does LBJ take a 50%to 60 % pay cut so the Lakers can improve the roster or do the Lakers just tell LBJ to move on down the road. Stay tune these next couple weeks are going to be the soap opera of the day.
The guy will get people to buy tickets so it’s a no brainer to try and add him to your team. The same incentive should apply to the Lakers.
A nothing story planted by his agent. He is obviously staying with Lakers.
Somebody gets it
He won’t leave LA. But at least the Nets are being aggressive.
He deserves that. One of the top offensive players in the league.
If lakers lose Reaves for nothing next year will be a long year in LA. What do they do if they don’t sign him? Who replaces him?
Lakers need to let him go, or sign-and-trade him if that’s possible. He too closely duplicates Luka, and having two max players who can’t and don’t play defense, and are the same size and play the same way, is just disaster waiting to happen.
Great comment. You are exactly right. Lakers should just let Reaves walk. If the Lakers just let Lebron and Reaves sign somewhere else, won’t the Lakers have very large amount of open cap space to sign good FAs?
S and T with Dallas can work for both teams. Lakers can get anyone not named Flagg and Dallas gets another cornerstone next to Flagg. There are bigs and 3and D guys in Dallas who worked with Luka seamlessly.
Nets are looking around and don’t see the sucker. Poor Egor Demin, Nets don’t believe in you.