3 Best bargain players the Lakers might as well have found on Black Friday

The Los Angeles Lakers have a well-earned reputation of being one of the biggest spenders in the NBA. Los Angeles has never met a star it's unwilling to take a chance on, and has rarely hesitated to give out a max-level contract to a player whose caliber justifies the investment.

In the case of three key players, however, the Lakers have managed to find extraordinary value without enduring anything resembling a significant cap hit.

Los Angeles is no stranger to massive contracts, with Anthony Davis and LeBron James making a combined $91,948,285 in 2024-25. One of the primary reasons it's been able to supplement their talent with a team that can compete at a high level, however, is quality low-risk investments.

Not all have paid off in the way the Lakers expected them to, but those that have can be accurately classified as bargains—so much so that a Black Friday reference felt unavaoidable.

In some cases, the Lakers lucked out and added a quality role player at the lowest possible cost. In others, drafting well and investing in an up-and-comer before they'd realized their potential proved to be invaluable decisions.

That all begins with a player who has made one of head coach JJ Redick's most controversial decisions a landscape-altering move in the most positive of ways.

3. Cam Reddish

A season ago, Cam Reddish was applauded for improving on defense but generally viewed as an expendable player. He was, after all, playing on a minimum deal that typically aligns with the reputation of a player whose long-term value is limited.

In his second season with the Lakers, however, Reddish has been instrumental in helping the purple and gold turn things around after losing four out of five games.

Reddish has unexpectedly gone from being an afterthought among Lakers fans to a starter under JJ Redick. It's been one of the most significant developments of the 2024-25 season, as point guard D'Angelo Russell was moved to the second unit and Reddish effectively took his place as a starter.

Russell has done an underrated job of elevating the second unit, even as his own shot has failed to fall, while Reddish has provided a rare commodity in Los Angeles: Quality perimeter defense.

With Reddish locking in on defense and providing physicality along the perimeter, the Lakers' offense has flowed more freely. The second unit has a legitimate leader in Russell, while the starters have been able to focus more on shot creation and off-ball action knowing Reddish is present on defense.

The Lakers must do a significantly better job as a team on defense, but Reddish is one of the few players who's free from blame—at $2,463,946, no less.

2. Dalton Knecht

It's difficult to classify a rookie as a bargain acquisition, but Dalton Knecht fits the bill. Based on the value he's provided and the trajectory of his development, it's safe to say Knecht has lived up to the pre-draft hype generated by everyone but general managers as a lottery-level talent.

The difference between Knecht's current salary and what he would've made as a lottery pick is where the bargain conversation begins.

Knecht is owed $3,819,120 for the 2024-25 season, as well as $18,483,220 over the life of his four-year contract. Bub Carrington, selected with the final lottery pick at the 2024 NBA Draft, will make $21,290,770 over four years and $4,454,880 in 2024-25.

That might be a minimal difference in some eyes, but further perspective can be found the higher up the rookie scale one looks—including the $24,897,090 overall and $5,469,120 in 2024-25 owed to No. 10 pick Cody Williams.

Considering Knecht is playing at a level that solidifies the belief that he should've been a top-10 pick, the Lakers are paying a bargain price for his talent. It's even easier to be grateful for his contract when one considers that 2024 top-five picks make between $37,463,383 and $57,027,437 over four years.

As Knecht continues to make his case for Rookie of the Year, the Lakers paying no less than half the price of what he should be making based on talent and upside is the ultimate bargain.

1. Austin Reaves

In less than four full seasons, Austin Reaves has cemented his status as one of the most reliable playmakers below the All-Star line. The hope is that he'll eventually make that leap, but what he provides Los Angeles with on a nightly basis is already worth far more than what he's paid.

Reaves may have gone undrafted, but he's become Exhibit A of how important it is for the Lakers to invest in their up-and-coming talent.

Reaves signed a four-year, $53,827,872 contract that's already looking like one of the best bargains in the NBA. He's making just $12,976,362 in 2024-25, all the while helping to run the Lakers' offense and providing them with reliable scoring contributions.

Reaves will make $13,937,574 in 2025-26 before his $14,898,786 player option comes into play in 2026-27—giving the Lakers at least two more seasons, 2024-25 included, at a steal of a price.

With two max-level players on the roster, having a third star in Reaves who makes a fraction of their base salary is a tremendous luxury. The Lakers continue to increase the weight of the burden he carries, and he's taken it all in stride throughout his career.

There are many players who have outplayed their salaries, but few have more favorable contracts than what the Lakers signed Reaves to.