The Los Angeles Lakers signed Austin Reaves to a four-year, $184.7 million extension this summer to make him Luka Doncic’s co-star. It came in just under his max. The new deal had plenty of fans and experts questioning the value. Every dollar counts in the second apron era. This is a massive deal, but fans are clearly forgetting that all Reaves has done during his career is improve and silence his doubters.
AR started his college career at Wichita State and was a zero-star recruit. After two strong years, he went to Oklahoma University and became a star. Still, Reaves went undrafted before signing with the Lakers. He quickly jumped into the rotation as a rookie and has seen his scoring, rebounding, and overall impact improve every year. Reaves put up massive numbers last season and is ready to make his first All-Star appearance.
The 28-year-old was an afterthought coming out of high school and college. Even after an impressive rookie year, most thought Reaves would be a strong sixth man, not a star. All he has done is improve. AR is just entering his prime. Why do fans think that will suddenly stop now?
Austin Reaves played like an All-Star last season
He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 34.5 minutes per game last season. Reaves shot 49.0 percent from the field, 36.0 percent on his 3-point attempts, and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line. The only thing that held him back was playing 51 games, including just 28 before the All-Star break.
His numbers before the break were even better, including averaging 25.4 points on over 50 percent shooting from the field. He is already a star if he just repeats the numbers from last season with better health.
Reaves was 29th in win shares per 48 minutes last season, and his 0.153 ranked ahead of LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brown, Devin Booker, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Johnson, Deni Avdija, De’Aaron Fox, Brandon Ingram, Pascal Siakam, and Norman Powell. All of those players were All-Stars last season.
Austin Reaves will keep improving
The 28-year-old is just entering his prime. He went from 15.9 to 20.2 to 23.3 points in the last three seasons. Reaves has become an underrated team defender and someone who can be a number one offensive option. The Detroit Pistons were rumored to be offering a max contract in free agency, so the Lakers are not the only ones who think AR deserves every penny of this new deal.
He isn’t stopping now. Reaves knows he needs to keep adding to his game to be Luka’s co-star. The duo has a close relationship, but Doncic and the Lakers want to win. They need Austin to be elite to make that a reality, and he’s ready for that challenge. There are a couple of realistic improvements that should have been on the workout plan this summer.
Doubting him has never worked. Reaves keeps making those look foolish every year. From he isn’t going to be part of the rotation to AR is not the Lakers’ third star to Reaves can’t be Luka’s co-star, he has heard it all. There are always going to be doubts, but that has fueled his fire to improve.
Austin Reaves is worth every penny of his new Lakers’ deal
Reaves got the largest contract ever for an undrafted player, but fans cannot forget that the Lakers have had him on a bargain contract for his first five years. He significantly outperformed his salary every season since the Lakers signed him in 2021. Even if he slightly underperforms in this new contract, the purple and gold have gotten a lot of surplus value over the nine years.
Reaves played like an All-Star, and the Lakers had to keep him next to Luka Doncic. They could not afford to lose number 77’s friend and co-star for nothing. That would have been a disaster, so the Lakers paid up. Reaves will keep getting better, and LA can move off his contract at any moment if they find an upgrade.
The Los Angeles Lakers were wise to lock Austin Reaves up long-term. Fans doubting his new contract have forgotten his first five years, where he has proved every skeptic wrong. The 28-year-old is in his prime and keeps improving. The Lakers got a good one, and fans should be excited to see what AR can do next. This contract is a ton of money, but Reaves will deliver. That is what he always does.
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