Report: Austin Reaves 'could command $40 million a season'
While the Los Angeles Lakers will have to figure out how they will retain LeBron James this summer, especially if they don't want to offer him a max or near-max contract, they also have to come to terms with Austin Reaves on a new contract.
The rising star guard is expected to opt out of his current deal and become a free agent this offseason. While many people across the NBA expect him to re-sign with Los Angeles , it isn't a foregone conclusion that he will, and there is always a chance that he demands more money than Los Angeles is willing and able to offer him.
According to a recent report in The Athletic by Dan Woike and Sam Amick, Reaves could receive offers of as much as $40 million a year, especially from other teams.
"While team and league sources believe that the Lakers and Reaves will eventually land on a contract that makes sense, the door for Reaves to walk is open should he get a big offer elsewhere," Woike and Amick wrote. "Rival executives predicted Reaves could command $40 million a season due to a combination of his play, his age and, perhaps most importantly, a free-agent class completely devoid of players as productive as him in their prime. At present, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets , who both have needs at the guard position, are the only teams with the sort of salary-cap space available to meet that sort of financial mark. Other teams that are known to have some interest in Reaves — like Utah and Atlanta , per league sources — would need to make roster moves to find the necessary space. League sources say winning will be a significant factor in Reaves’ thinking."
If another team makes Reaves an offer in the neighborhood of $40 million, will the Lakers match it or at least raise their offer? Will he take the bigger offer and play for a team that may not be as good as the Lakers or even make the playoffs next season, or will he make a bit of a sacrifice to remain with a Lakers team that showed promise late this season?
He averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists a game in the regular season, but his output in the playoffs was inconsistent, and he registered 20 points on 40.7% field-goal shooting and 25.7% from 3-point range in six postseason games.
Reaves has shown a pattern of underperforming in the playoffs over the last couple of years. It remains to be seen if that will be a factor in how much money teams offer him several weeks from now.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Report: Austin Reaves 'could command $40 million a season'
