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There were a handful of All-Star talents that headlined NBA free agency this offseason, but Austin Reaves found himself as one of the better players available. Emerging as a key offensive weapon that did a all the little things on both ends of the floor to help the Los Angeles Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals, Reaves was expected to draw interest from a couple of teams, putting his potential return to the Lakers in question.
Both the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs were teams with rumored interest in Reaves, yet neither organization signed the restricted free agent to an offer sheet, which is why he ultimately returned to the Lakers on a new four-year, $56 million contract.
Just 25 years old and having a lot of room to grow, it was shocking to see the Rockets and Spurs back off on their pursuit of Reaves, especially since they had cap space to sign him and since they could have offered him a lot more money than Los Angeles could have. However, new details have emerged as to why the Lakers were able to hold onto the undrafted guard on such an affordable contract.
According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Spurs considered offering Reaves an offer sheet worth $21 million per season, which is close to double what Los Angeles is paying him for the 2023-24 season. With the Lakers rumored to match any offer coming his way though, San Antonio was “scared off” and chose to pursue other scenarios this offseason.
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As for the Rockets, they were monitoring Reaves as a potential backup option if they were unable to sign All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet, who ultimately agreed to a three-year, $130 million contract with Houston.
Things worked out really well for the Lakers in free agency pertaining to Reaves, as they did not have to compete against other teams looking to sign him and they did not have to match an offer sheet. This proved to be a massive win for this organization, especially since they were able to reallocate their funds elsewhere.
By signing Reaves to a $53 million contract instead of one that would have paid him $80 million or more over the next four seasons, the Lakers were able to bring back D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura in free agency, as well as sign key talents such as Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish to round out their secondary unit.
Despite their struggles through the years, the Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka have made it clear that they are going to do everything they can to compete at the highest level possible. What they did at the trade deadline last season by moving All-Star Russell Westbrook and others proved this and their latest transactions in free agency, especially with retaining Reaves, shows that they have what it takes to still compete for a championship.
Reaves could have left Los Angeles to make more money and become one of the faces of a rebuilding franchise, but the Lakers' strength loomed large over these other teams. This is why he re-signed with the Lakers and this is why Reaves will once again be a focal point for them heading into the 2023-24 season.
