Once the inevitable moment of Austin Reaves declining his $14.9 million player option arrives, the Los Angeles Lakers guard will position himself as the prize of a free agency class that has few others to truly rival him. That makes him a clear big-money prize for any team looking to make a huge splash.
Despite that, sizable spending may not truly be in the cards for organizations not named the Lakers. Dan Woike of The Athletic reported the fallout from the introduction of the first and second apron has created a ton of hesitancy with NBA teams when it comes to splurging in free agency.
"League sources said teams are approaching free agency with increased caution because of the restrictions tied to the league’s first and second tax aprons, potentially leading to more conservative spending than in previous summers."
Conservative spending would immediately favor the Lakers' odds of retaining Reaves. Retaining their star guard is an obvious priority for Los Angeles. That makes the unrestricted nature of AR's offseason status a touch unnerving. A small pool of competition balances those concerns with hope.
Lack of high-money bidders should aid the Lakers in Austin Reaves sweepstakes
In the lead-up to free agency, the Brooklyn Nets are the only team that has a reported offer ready. Four years and $178.5 million is what the Lakers could be contending with come the offseason frenzy.
However, it is worth noting the Nets lack a winning environment, something that has come up as an important factor in Reaves' decision. That makes the concern of Brooklyn nabbing him easy to downplay. So, where could the Lakers guard find that competitive team if not in Los Angeles?
The Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons have been connected to Reaves as potential suitors. However, the exact amount that either of those two teams would be willing to spend on the star guard remains unclear. If they fall into the group of franchises who will be cautious with their money, that likewise should not pose a major threat to the Lakers.
There should be more information over the coming weeks on who is truly in the race for Reaves and what they are willing to offer, but as things stand, the Lakers have that perfect combo of money and motivation. No other franchise who can certifiably offer both in abundance has emerged just yet.
Advantage: Lakers.
That does not mean Rob Pelinka should flirt with saving money where he can get it, and threaten a doomsday scenario for Los Angeles. However, nothing truly exists as of now to convince the Lakers that Reaves will wear anything but purple and gold next season.
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