According to NBA insider Yossi Gozlan, the Los Angeles Lakers’ rivals could try to lure guard Austin Reaves away from the team. Reaves, who is in the final season of a four-year, $53 million contract, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
His production has been key for the Lakers. He is averaging 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, shooting 49.4%, including 36.3% from 3-point range. Reaves’ numbers make a strong case for a significant pay raise.
Gozlan reported that teams could offer Reaves a two-to-three-year “max-type” deal to pry him away from Los Angeles.
“It would not be surprising if another team explored a two- or three-year max-type offer to try to lure him away,” Gozlan wrote.
According to multiple reports, the Lakers are prepared to offer Reaves a five-year, $240 million contract this summer. Reaves rejected an extension offer from the Lakers at the start of the season. However, he later made clear that the rejection does not mean he wishes to leave Los Angeles.
“I try not to think about it. Honestly. I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves said. “Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f—ing gigantic number that don’t make sense. I want to be here, I want to win. I want to do everything that can help this organization be better. So I don’t try to think about those things.”
Losing him could be a significant blow to the Lakers as Reaves has grown into the team’s No. 2 option on offense next to Luka Doncic.
Austin Reaves speaks on the Lakers’ confidence amid nine-game winning streak
The Los Angeles Lakers managed to keep their winning streak alive on Saturday, extending it to nine games with a 105-104 win against the Orlando Magic. Speaking to reporters after the game, Reaves addressed the team’s confidence over this stretch.
“Good,” Reaves said. “We’ve done it in different ways. We’ve won ugly games where it wasn’t great offensively, we’ve won with our defense, and then we’ve dominated some games offensively. But just getting in a rhythm playing alongside one another, having fun and getting wins.”
The Lakers are third in the Western Conference with a 46-25 record. They will return to the court on Monday to face the Detroit Pistons.
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