Austin Reaves is a restricted free agent, and the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have made a decision regarding how they will handle the guard.
Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein says that the Lakers are committed to keeping Reaves no matter the cost. He describes them as a “lock” to match any offer sheet Reaves signs, even if it’s for the maximum of nearly $100 million over four years. You can read Stein’s entire column here but it is for paying subscribers.
There previously had been some thought that the Lakers might get outbid for Reaves. But this is the second reporter we’ve heard say that the Lakers will match on Reaves even if the offer is for around $100 million.
Reaves just completed his second season with the Lakers and averaged 13.0 points per game during the regular season. An undrafted player out of Oklahoma, the 25-year-old averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game in the postseason, while establishing himself as one of the Lakers’ top options.
If the Lakers decide to match offers for Reaves, then they will have to decide how to handle restricted free agent Rui Hachimura and free agent D’Angelo Russell. It seems like Russell may be the player they let walk this offseason.
