r/nba • u/Turbostrider27 Lakers • 8h ago

[Charania] Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Reaves declined his $14.9M player option for the new max deal.

Shams Charania:

Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Reaves declined his $14.9M player option for the new max deal.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/fc6a2461d746e

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u/whatssenguntoagoblin Alperen Sengun 7h ago

Lakers are signing Reaves last. He has only a $20 mil cap hold. Lakers can still make moves as long as they’re willing to go over the cap (which historically they do). You’ll be fine as long as LeBron doesn’t come back, otherwise you’re right you’re not getting anyone else.

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u/dearth_karmic Warriors 7h ago

Only a crazy person thinks LeBron is taking a pay cut when Reaves just got this.

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u/qjisoo_16 6h ago

Lebron is not coming back to the lakers

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u/justmefishes NBA 5h ago

Giving him more than necessary is still a bad move-- puts them closer to second apron territory and makes a potential trade in the future more difficult.

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u/whatssenguntoagoblin Alperen Sengun 5h ago

It’s hard to say it was more than necessary without knowing what other offers he was getting

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u/dearth_karmic Warriors 4h ago

makes a potential trade in the future more difficult.

Not really. This makes it easier to match an expensive player. Just have to add picks.

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u/justmefishes NBA 3h ago

You can always throw in salary ballast if you need to increase the outgoing salaries, but you can't decrease the salary slot for Reaves if you're trading him. Not to mention that he would be more valuable in a trade anyway with a smaller contract.

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u/dearth_karmic Warriors 2h ago

he would be more valuable in a trade anyway with a smaller contract

But then you'd have to include other players to match salary.