Austin Reaves is not a player who will simply be thinking about the money during this offseason. The Los Angeles Lakers guard has already previously told the world that he prefers a winning situation to going out there and chucking shots to get numbers. Luckily for the Lakers, they may be the only franchise with real money to play around with who can truly offer Reaves a payday and winning.
After the Lakers' season ended following a sweep at the hands of the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic identified the money Reaves should be expecting and the potential suitors out there for him. Both of those things are working in LA's favor.
"Rival executives predicted Reaves could command $40 million a season. ... The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, who both have needs at the guard position, are the only teams with the sort of salary-cap space available to meet that sort of financial mark."
Naturally, while the Bulls and Nets have the money, they will not have the same competitive aspirations of the Lakers. The advantage ahead of free agency for Rob Pelinka and company is strongly poised to set up a reunion between Los Angeles and Reaves.
Lakers tick all of Austin Reaves' boxes like no other suitor can
Pelinka stated at his end-of-season interview that both Reaves and the Lakers continue to have clear interest in extending their partnership. If AR does not want to end up as a first option on a bad team, as he's stated his disdain for in the past, it is in his best interests of his agents to make that happen.
Amick and Woike added that the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks do also have some interest in Reaves during their report. However, that would require both of those franchise to make extra roster moves to clear up the necessary space for a deal of AR's magnitude.
Plus, once more, are either of those teams better winning situations than Los Angeles?
The Jazz certainly are not. After years of rebuilding, there have been indications that Utah wants to compete. However, that is not likely to mean more than just Play-In contention.
The Hawks, on the other hand, are a solid basketball team. They also play in the weaker Eastern Conference. However, as mentioned above, they would need to go out of their way to provide what the Lakers already can financially.
It is fair to wonder if they would be better than the Lakers after those cost-cutting moves. They certainly are not better now before enacting them.
All in all, Reaves should have very little reason to look beyond Los Angeles this summer. Nothing is truly ever guaranteed in free agency, but a future max contract with the Lakers should be pretty close to it for the talented offensive guard.
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