Austin Reaves has become a vital part of the current Los Angeles Lakers roster. But now the former undrafted pro out of Oklahoma is primed for restricted free agency, where the soon-to-be 25-year-old shooting guard is expected to be a hot commodity for teams looking for perimeter scoring.
Of course, the Lakers don’t want to bow out of the competition to re-sign their 6-foot-5 bench scorer, either. Yet, they may not have much of a choice due to their budget. Currently, the most the Lakers can offer Reaves is a four-year contract in the $50 million range, but other teams around the Association may be willing to pay north of the roughly $12.5 million annual rate he can earn in Los Angeles.
NBA insider Marc Stein recently provided his input on the matter while admitting Reaves’ upcoming free agency market remains unclear at this time.
“Austin Reaves market…not clear yet. But there will definitely be a team or two that offers more than the Lakers want to spend. There will be at least one.”
Marc Stein on Austin Reaves’ upcoming free agency market
While Reaves will be available this offseason, he’s still set for restricted free agency, which allows the Lakers to match any offer sheet he signs.
NBA free agency begins on July 6, after the NBA draft has occurred. Which means the league landscape could look much different now than it does today.