Austin Reaves is widely expected to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer once he declines his $14.9 million player option. Luka Doncic has been open about his desire for a Reaves return, and we know that Luka has sway with the Lakers' front office.
According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, who was cited by Tim Bontemps in a new piece this week about impact free agents, Reaves is expected to land something in the realm of a five-year, $200 million deal, making AR $40 mil per year. This would represent a massive uptick in Reaves' yearly salary, even if it's still below the maximum five-year, $239 million contract that Austin will be eligible for with the Lake Show this offseason.
Lakers fans are gawking at Austin Reaves' expected yearly salary, and its undeserved
For whatever reason (perhaps lingering bitterness from LA's playoff exit), Lakers fans have begun suggesting that Reaves isn't worth the $40 million per year salary that he's expected to land this summer. This is an argument that doesn't make much sense at all when you take a look at some of the similar AAV's of other players around the NBA.
Franz Wagner ($44.8 million AAV) and Zach LaVine ($43 million) are both making more money per season on their current deals than Reaves is about to make on his next contract. Are either of these players markedly better than Reaves? Brandon Ingram ($40 million AAV) and Desmond Bane ($39.4 million) are two further examples.
None of the above four players provide markedly better basketball value to a given team than Austin Reaves, and thus, it doesn't make a ton of sense for Lakers fans -- or any other fans in general -- to be complaining about Reaves getting the bag this offseason. This is a player who has shown the capacity to operate as a primary, 30-point scorer on many a night, and he's got elite ball-handling and passing skills, to boot.
Speaking of elite skills, is there another team out there coveting Reaves' abilities that might make a play for AR on the market this offseason?
Are the Nets going to swoop in and steal Austin Reaves from the Lakers?!
Bontemps did note that the Brooklyn Nets are a team to watch out for in the Reaves sweepstakes. Brooklyn is sitting on a boatload of cap space and could theoretically give Reaves a richer deal than the one the Lakers are expected to offer. One has to assume that Reaves would be willing to take a little less money per season to stay where he's comfortable in Los Angeles, but you never know.
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