The Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Detroit Pistons have emerged as rival teams that are interested in signing Austin Reaves. They're all reportedly prepared to extend offers in the range of the maximum salary that Reaves can receive. A new report, however, proves the Los Angeles Lakers are still bidding against themselves.
Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Detroit are undoubtedly interesting teams to consider as landing spots for Reaves, but Los Angeles shouldn't consume itself with their flawed pursuits.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype has provided new intel on Reaves that reshapes the way his upcoming period of free agency should be viewed and coordinated. Scotto confirmed the external interest, but brought up several key points about the Hawks, Nets, and Pistons.
That begins with Scotto reporting that the odds of Atlanta being a "real player in the [Reaves] sweepstakes are considered low."
Detroit is a legitimate threat, but signing Reaves would require a long list of financial decisions that could deplete the roster's already limited depth. Scotto cited salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan when noting that the Pistons would need to waive Duncan Robinson, renounce three cap holds, trade at least two players, and decline a team-friendly club option just to have the room to max out Reaves.
It's certainly possible, but Detroit has needs beyond one single player and may thus be reluctant to jump through all of those hoops. That just leaves Brooklyn as competition—and they're no competition at all.
Lakers' only real competition for Austin Reaves is temptation to overpay
The Nets have significant cap space, a productive forward in Michael Porter Jr., a strong center in Nic Claxton, and quality pieces they're attempting to rebuild with. They're also a team that went 20-62 this past season. That could ultimately disqualify them from signing Reaves—based on his own words.
Reaves provided the following quote in September of 2025 that seems to reveal what his priorities are in regard to his future in the NBA.
"Thank God I play with Luka and LeBron. And, I wanna win. So, it’s not like I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m just going out chucking, getting numbers,” Reaves said. “…If that’s the map for me to be an All-Star, I don’t care about that. I wanna win."
It's entirely possible that Reaves has changed his mind in the nine months since, but the Lakers shouldn't concern themselves too much with what a 20-win team is angling itself to do.
Hawks not a real factor, Pistons face many hurdles, Nets not a winner
None of this necessarily prevents Atlanta, Brooklyn, Detroit, or any other team from extending a lucrative offer to Reaves. Until those offers actually come in and the Lakers have to compete with one of them, however, their best selling point is what they plan on building.
If that means offering Reaves less than one of the other teams claims to intend to, the Lakers should proceed with confidence in their ability to sell him on what their roster could look like based on his salary.
Whether fair or foul, the NBA is a salary-capped league. Furthermore, recent champions have been all but required to have five high-level starters and at least some semblence of a respectable second unit. The Lakers should thus be transparent about where their money will be going this summer depending on the type of contract Reaves is willing to sign and trust that their vision continues to appeal to him.
If Reaves needs to be paid upward of $40 million, then that's a bridge to be crossed. Until the need presents itself, however, the Lakers are bidding against themselves.
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