The Los Angeles Lakers have been sent a warning not to let history repeat itself when it comes to the future of Austin Reaves.
The Lakers shooting guard has been one of the best players for Darvin Ham’s side during the NBA Playoffs. So far, he has 253 points in 16 games during the post-season, at an average of 16.9 points per game, but it remains to be seen whether he will still be at the Crypto.com Arena going into next season.
Reaves was signed by the Lakers in 2021 as a free agent after going undrafted in that year’s draft. Since then, he has helped boost the Lakers’ roster which has played a key part in getting to the Western Conference Finals this year.
However, things are not going well for the Lakers against the Nuggets. The Lakers are trailing 3-0 in the series and must win four games in a row, against the team that finished top of the Western Conference, if they are to reach this year’s NBA Finals.
Reaves has been a key player in helping get the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals. But there is growing speculation that he could be lured away from LA during the off-season.
When Reaves joined the Lakers in 2021, he signed a two-year contract that is due to expire at the end of the season. In order to remain in LA, the Lakers will need to reach an agreement by making the player an offer that he is willing accept.
A report from The Athletic back in March claimed that the Lakers will only be able to offer a maximum of $50.8 million (£40.8m) in a four-year deal. This is due to the salary cap restrictions that will prevent the Lakers from spending any more.
ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst recently spoke about Reaves’ future with the Lakers. He claimed that the franchise will not want history to repeat itself by letting the guard walk away for nothing.
"There's no way they're letting him walk," said Windhorst on the Hoop Collective podcast. "Because they absolutely had egg dripping from their chin on letting Alex Caruso walk. And Reaves, let's just be honest, he's their third-best player."
In the case of Alex Caruso, the forward spent four years with the Lakers before leaving in 2021. He left as a free agent to sign for the Chicago Bulls, with the Eastern Conference franchise making a better offer financially for the player, although it’s been reported that he did give the Lakers a chance to make an improved offer, which never came.
Back to the present, and Reaves will still be hoping to have an impact for the Lakers against the Nuggets. However, if they lose one more game in the series then their season will be over.
