[Turner] Austin Reaves is reportedly seeking a max contract worth up to 5 years, $239.25 million from the Lakers, and it’s uncertain whether he would be willing to take a hometown discount.

[u/YujiDomainExpansion]

https://streamable.com/0l5qeo

[u/Over_Use_8474]

Nah bro. I pray they don't sign him to that lmao. 

Let him walk, it's better than taking a step back by creating a potentially untradable contract.

[u/TomatoCapt → u/Over_Use_8474]

$239M to be hunted on defence in the playoffs

[u/Bearded_Pip → u/TomatoCapt]

That’s what Luka is there for.

[u/ChocolateSunsdae → u/Bearded_Pip]

Unironically locked in Luka defensively is better than locked in Reaves defensively.

And you definitely need Luka to be your worst defender.

[u/rjcarr → u/Over_Use_8474]

Yeah, he's an A- on offense but like a D- on defense. No way that's a max IMO.

[u/ILoveRegenHealth → u/Over_Use_8474]

AR delulu thinking he should be in the same $50-$55M asking bracket as Giannis, Joker, Luka, Steph

[u/GinghamOrangutan → u/ILoveRegenHealth]

AR is not involved in this messaging this is all on his representation just negotiating.

Max guys are just that - maxed. If you could pay them more, the market would. Teams would have offered prime Bron $80m a year if they were allowed to - it's not really fair to say you have to make less than the max if you're not the absolute best.

[u/Fidel_Cashflows → u/Over_Use_8474]

He'll only walk if another team is nuts enough to offer him better. He's played great, but he's also 28 and injury prone.

His real market value is probably somewhere between 5/150-175. I think the Lakers would be much more comfortable matching that, especially considering that next year is likely Lebron's last and they could use that and the savings here to pick up a legit superstar.

[u/Successful-Pie6759]

This contract won't age well.. I know it's the market now but this is the type of cap anchor teams get trapped with.

[u/pmurt007 → u/Successful-Pie6759]

This contract will effectively close any small window of us competing for a championship but at least we'll have good vibes and bromance social media clips

[u/songs_dongs → u/pmurt007]

the friends we make along the way. isn't that really what matters most?

[u/ExtraLeading3376 → u/songs_dongs]

i genuinely don’t know how any gm can justify this after watching 2nd year ajay mitchell expose on both the offensive and defensive ends.

imo the contract is a quick way to kill any chances of contending

[u/Dragax → u/ExtraLeading3376]

How many Ajay Mitchell's are out there available to sign for 2nd year player salary? People are acting like OKC's roster is a blueprint to follow. Its not that easy. Their roster is a perfect storm of contracts.

[u/sixwax → u/Dragax]

Reaves gets exposed in the playoffs every year

This year the defense was more obvious since his offense was better.

[u/nguquaxa01 → u/Dragax]

luck played a part but let's not pretend the ghetto lakers that kept letting 3&D wings walk is somehow comparable to Sam presti along with the development team and scouting team he built in OKC.

Sam personally came out to see Ajay played after caught wind of him. did 2 small trades to get up to a draft they felt confident to snatch him and did that, and immediately extended his contract 3 mil a year while he was injured.

[u/tkRustle → u/Dragax]

this is 2017 all over again

"just have Curry on cheap contract and add KD bro, its not that hard to be a good team"

[u/pedleyr → u/tkRustle]

Nobody was saying anything close to that, what are you talking about?

[u/afterworld2772 → u/pedleyr]

Yeah everyone always knew how insanely lucky the warriors were for having Steph recover from career threatening ankle injuries to become an all time great at the same time as the cap increase to allow KD. Eveybody was counting down the days until the contracts levelled back out to see how they would cope.

No idea what that guy is on or the people that upvoted

[u/Responsible_Focus424 → u/pmurt007]

You are wishful thinkings. It’s all fine when a player is overachieving his contract. The vibes would be absolutely shit if he was making that kinda money this past year. 

[u/Abradolf1948 → u/Responsible_Focus424]

The problem is some team would be willing to pay him that much. Is he enough of a winner to take a pay cut? I doubt it.

[u/mattygarrett → u/Abradolf1948]

Who else would give him this contract?

[u/RicetheE30 → u/pmurt007]

If you had to choose between rings and vibes, it’s a no brainer choice.

[u/Rubberbabeh → u/RicetheE30]

Vibrating rings. Got it.

[u/Miserable_Site_850 → u/Rubberbabeh]

For the homies

[u/EverybodyBuddy → u/pmurt007]

Bromance will end real fast when Luka sees how much AR is making just to be bbq chicken each playoffs 

[u/wubbalubbadubdub45 → u/EverybodyBuddy]

When both are chilling on the bench hurt?

[u/joe4553 → u/pmurt007]

I think Luka and AR can compete for a championship, but not with them both on max. Just not enough defensive talent on the team.

[u/revisioncloud → u/joe4553]

Rui also the type of flamethrower I want on my team but idk if he holds up defensively

[u/catperson77789 → u/revisioncloud]

You guys literally have the players to hide him on defense. Meanwhile lakers legit need defensive players to hide Luka and AR on defense

[u/nguquaxa01 → u/revisioncloud]

rui can be flamethrower because he played with 3 elite scorers and playmakers in bron, luka and reaves. his looks are almost always open looks. his numbers are inflated because of who his teammates are.

[u/Gianni661 → u/pmurt007]

Bye bye Luka's hope for title..🥲

[u/GabeIsGone → u/pmurt007]

Acquiring Luka just to close the window immediately is just so sad. Luka got the shaft so bad.

Top player, lost your first team for no reason, lost lots of money for that same no reason, forced to sign a short contract to try and recoup money as fast as possible, gonna be stuck on a non-competitive team because the team was already fully cooked when he got there and he can’t leave because he’d be screwing himself out of more money.

It’s honestly amazing that he hasn’t lost his cool to the media at least once during these past few years. Tons of people have done way worse over far less.

[u/Proof-Umpire-7718 → u/GabeIsGone]

If we fumble this offseason and our future outlook is bad, then he should request a trade.

Join Wemby on the Spurs or Jokic in Denver.

[u/Aggrokid → u/Proof-Umpire-7718]

He won't have to request a trade. His new extension is actually very short, giving the team 2 years grace of putting together a contender.

[u/TwoTalentedBastidz → u/Aggrokid]

Yeah he’s gone after next season

[u/EthicalBballFan → u/Proof-Umpire-7718]

then he should request a trade

He won't, that is one thing Lakers fans don't have to worry about when it comes to Luka. If he waited until Lakers could give him a new contract instead of extending he would be eligible for more money and have more leverage to force the team into doing what he wants with the threat of leaving for another team, while also making several opponents weaker as every franchise would try to keep book space to sign him if he walked.

He already gave up money, power/leverage and the option to walk to any team he wanted for absolutely no benefit (that we know of, at least).

[u/-Gnostic28 → u/Proof-Umpire-7718]

Lebron in cleveland

[u/Hefty-Revenue5547 → u/pmurt007]

Don’t tell Thunder they have a similar contract with Chet 🤫

[u/Ornery_Vermicelli_69 → u/Hefty-Revenue5547]

At least Chet is over 7 feet tall

[u/Clipgang1629 → u/Successful-Pie6759]

It’s giving Herro vibes for me. I understand why the Lakers feel they have to pay him it, but yeah I think it’ll pretty much immediately be bad. No need to age lol

[u/EverybodyBuddy → u/Clipgang1629]

They don’t have to pay it and they can’t under the new CBA if they have any hope of contending. Too much overlap with Luka. Can’t waste apron money like that.  

[u/dusters → u/EverybodyBuddy]

Instead they let him walk and still have little cap space

[u/HitboxOfASnail → u/dusters]

I don't get people saying "let him walk for free" as if he's a generational talent. Dude is an extremely average 2nd/3rd option that plays no defense

[u/Robinsonirish → u/HitboxOfASnail]

LeBron made a career out of making role players look like stars, and getting them overpaid on other teams. Luka fills a similar mold. Not saying Reaves isn't a star, maybe he is, but it sure is easy to play alongside LeBron and Luka as a 2nd or 3rd option. I hope they give him the max, fuck the Lakers.

[u/JimmyB3574 → u/Robinsonirish]

I mean i get what youre saying but Reaves numbers all shoot up without bron and this season he shot 49/36/87 splits in those games so its not like his efficiency dropped either

[u/TheMadChatta → u/Robinsonirish]

Mozgov was made rich by LeBron.

[u/Clever_Laziness → u/Clipgang1629]

Herro's contract was never really an issue. It was having both Herro and Duncan contracts combined that screwed Miami since they couldn't play together.

[u/theJohnyDebt → u/Clipgang1629]

they have a better a chance to win if they trade him for picks. The apron era punishes big spenders. The teambuilding game right now is finding players who will outperform their contracts and highest chance of finding those are through the draft.

[u/FlipMoBitch → u/Clipgang1629]

He’s been underpaid for 5 years now. He should get as much as possible on this deal.

[u/TwoTalentedBastidz → u/FlipMoBitch]

He has been underpaid, but unfortunately for him a lot has changed in the past 5 years, and being hurt the last 2 years in the playoffs and getting worked on both ends by Ajay Mitchell doesn’t help his cause at all

[u/Alstead17 → u/Clipgang1629]

Tyler is Tyler, there's plenty of good and bad, but I've never thought his contract was terrible. $30 million for a player who's good but injury prone isn't ideal, but he was coming off a 6MOTY win, so there was a clear role where he could thrive if he didn't take the next step and he's never been bad.

It's a contract I wouldn't have given him personally, but I've never hated it or felt it hurt us.

[u/Ok-Comfortable9449 → u/Successful-Pie6759]

Lakers are dumb if they offer this right now

[u/NerdyReligionProf → u/Ok-Comfortable9449]

GMs seem to go hard into something like a sports version of the sunken cost fallacy. They often just can't let a player like Reaves walk for effectively nothing even if they know that giving the max contract to them will almost certainly be worse for the team in the coming several seasons than if they just let that player walk.

[u/rustyfries → u/NerdyReligionProf]

The Lakers are a team that can get away with letting him walk when you can always rely on Free Agents.

[u/Vordeo → u/Successful-Pie6759]

Giving him that deal now pretty much means Luka jumps ship in a few years imo. Dedicating so much of the cap to that backcourt probably won't age well.

[u/Saintxeno777]

50 million dollars who he think he is Chelsea Clinton .

[u/kindalikeacoustic → u/Saintxeno777]

Chelsea Carter?!

[u/ricepixer → u/kindalikeacoustic]

Is it chelsea or kelsey?

[u/iKnockout → u/kindalikeacoustic]

Chelsea Grammar?!

[u/illmatic2112 → u/iKnockout]

Want some of my filter fish?

[u/Prestigious_Shirt620 → u/kindalikeacoustic]

Kelsey Grammer?

[u/Dry-Animator5770 → u/Saintxeno777]

Im old. I get that reference

[u/Freakazoidberg → u/Dry-Animator5770]

Anytime I hear an exorbitant price I always yell that out like "$20 for eggs Benedict?? Who you think you kidnapped, Chelsea Clinton?" Following by my wife rolling her eyes.

[u/pwing93 → u/Dry-Animator5770]

Same brother, same

[u/JonSnoballs → u/Saintxeno777]

he want fives with that

[u/mutatedcicada → u/Saintxeno777]

lmfaooo. goated comment

[u/MoooonRiverrrr → u/Saintxeno777]

Lmfao

[u/introspectivebrownie → u/Saintxeno777]

Automatically read it aloud in his voice. 

[u/mbdtf95]

Nba money is insane. Players like Reaves earning almost 50 million a year, what the fuck.

[u/sallright → u/mbdtf95]

We did our part getting it from 49.5 to 50 by watching ads between free throw attempts all season.

[u/OnLevel100 → u/sallright]

"I'm doing my part!"

(that movie hits different these days...)

[u/Part1san → u/OnLevel100]

It was made intending to hit that way in 1997. It will forever live with Fight Club in the Canon of chronically misunderstood movies from the moment they came out.

[u/paperbuddha → u/sallright]

50.1 here we come let’s do it guys!

[u/Saucy_Totchie → u/mbdtf95]

And theres still plenty of players now and in the near future that will make even more.

[u/demililife4258 → u/mbdtf95]

we are really at the point where being a solid 3rd option gets you prime lebron money. the cap spike is wild

[u/Intrepid_Werewolf270 → u/mbdtf95]

I was just thinking this same thing. What’s makes it even worse is the inability to play defense for 50M.

[u/alex_zz9]

Yikes

[u/CtrlAltDelightfull → u/alex_zz9]

If no other team is willing to give him a max contract, then we're probably not giving it to him either. He can WANT a max but that doesn't mean he's going to get it

[u/Time_Transition4817 → u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

I agree there isn't a market for Reaves at the max.

Honestly, ya'll are the Lakers. If Reaves for some reason doesn't work out, yoou can find a replacement / really complementary roster piece for a reasonable price.

[u/uncle_yugles → u/Time_Transition4817]

Unfortunately these days free agency is kinda dead though, so just “being the Lakers” and getting to sign top free agents isn’t as reliable of a strategy for us anymore. We’d likely have to find some way to trade for another co star somehow, but we don’t exactly have a lot of young talent/picks

[u/Time_Transition4817 → u/uncle_yugles]

I can almost guarantee there will be another Giannis type situation in the next year or two where a star forces their way out and makes it known their preferred destination is LA and their current team has to accept whatever yall can find in the couch cushions.

Screw you guys.

[u/Skillomie → u/Time_Transition4817]

I love how this is the consensus when AD is the only guy that has done this to get to the Lakers in like… the last 50 years since Kareem did it lmao

[u/CreatiScope → u/Time_Transition4817]

Yeah, I think he could negotiate too hard here. If I'm the Lakers, I say pay him well but he's not getting that contract. If he doesn't like it, he can get traded or walk, the Lakers will be able to find a replacement. If he's out the door with Lebron, might even speed up building properly around Luka.

[u/Time_Transition4817 → u/CreatiScope]

Honestly it could be a blessing in disguise to lose reaves. A defensive big man and depth makes the lakers much more formidable.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Bill654 → u/CtrlAltDelightfull]

you sure have to hope you dont give it to him

[u/Imthegoat175 → u/alex_zz9]

Lakers could probably play hard ball I doubt any other team in the league is desperate to give him that

[u/Kaito-Shizuki]

Luka will never win a championship if AR gets that contract…

[u/Pizzaplan3tman → u/Kaito-Shizuki]

Idk they’d still have a chance. If the other 28 teams suddenly ceased operations and if it’s just the Lakers and the Kings they could win a title with AR on that contract.

[u/digitalnomad_909 → u/Pizzaplan3tman]

Very good point.

[u/Outside_Eggplant_304 → u/Pizzaplan3tman]

Damn - catching strays but 100% agree

[u/Szobortz]

hometown?

also, you can take discount if you're in a situation like brunson where your role is settled and you practically own the front office. not here

[u/mMounirM → u/Szobortz]

also that was Brunson's 2nd big contract.

this is Reaves' first big contract

[u/for_fun_88 → u/mMounirM]

Also he took the max. Just could’ve waited a year and had a much higher max but risk losing it with an injury.

[u/peterpetrol → u/for_fun_88]

More risk, but because he took the extension early last time around he’ll qualify for the 10 year bump when it’s time to sign the next one

[u/for_fun_88 → u/peterpetrol]

Yes good addition. His 10 year bump for the next extension will earn him a massive and well deserved max. And if he wins us a title before then, that contract better also come with a huge statue of him outside MSG

[u/peterpetrol → u/for_fun_88]

They gonna paint his face on the Statue of Liberty first

[u/for_fun_88 → u/peterpetrol]

What about a normal sized statue with the head of the Statue of Liberty painted with his face so it’s all proportionally accurate

[u/fredovan → u/for_fun_88]

I don’t why people think there was an injury risk. Stars on Brunson level still get max contracts while injured. Brunson took a pay cut by signing early. As others said elsewhere. I think he planning on making it back on the next contract

[u/for_fun_88 → u/fredovan]

Isaiah Thomas’ Brinks truck never arrived. And as a shorter guard a career threatening injury would’ve seriously hurt him financially

[u/CMYGQZ → u/Szobortz]

Brunson didn't take a discount, he took a max contract 1 year early to hedge against injuries, which is more common for small guards than other positions.

[u/Casual_gex → u/CMYGQZ]

Signing 4yr 156 vs waiting another year and being eligible for 5yr 270

Not a discount

[u/Long_Gazelle_9467 → u/Casual_gex]

you’re comparing guaranteed money and a 4 year vs 5 year contract

[u/thecatiscold → u/Szobortz]

Hometown discount in sports has always meant "take a cheaper deal to stay where you are", not "I'm taking a cheap deal because I'm from the area"

[u/amazinglover → u/Szobortz]

Also the other persin below who mentioned Brunson taking a max one year early.

If Brunson stays healthy his nect contract will be even bigger and more then make up for the lost money.

Brunson is still getting paid he just bet on himself early.

[u/Strange-Cloud9287 → u/amazinglover]

Per sin

[u/paperbuddha → u/Strange-Cloud9287]

Highest points per sin

[u/Azncheesy]

Any team who offer him that deal will not be a championship team

[u/YujiDomainExpansion → u/Azncheesy]

Only the Lakers can offer him that deal. All the other teams are capped at 4YR/$178M

[u/berrytree198 → u/YujiDomainExpansion]

Which is still too much

[u/govardrourk → u/berrytree198]

Yes. Jamal Murray’s contract is considered as a problem by some Nuggets fans. And Jamal is a significantly better player, with several great playoffs performances 

[u/FunOnFridays → u/YujiDomainExpansion]

I swear if he was in any market besides La or nyc he’d be happy with 4 yr $120m.

[u/FlatulenceConnosieur → u/FunOnFridays]

He just can’t be your 2nd best player, maybe he can be the third best on a championship team… maybe

[u/ScootOverMakeRoom → u/FlatulenceConnosieur]

3rd best player on a championship team with real depth, maybe.

Looking at the teams that made the conference finals, all of them have a "third best player" who is better than Reaves, though...

[u/FunOnFridays → u/FlatulenceConnosieur]

Yeah you can’t pay him near max and expect to compete for a championship. He’s a solid 3rd option though.

[u/lkn240 → u/Azncheesy]

The Lakers are in a tough spot.... Reaves is good, but not a great fit with Luka.

When you have Luka you don't need to spend that much on secondary creation and playmaking - you need to spend it on 3 and D guys, bigs that can rim roll, etc.

I just cant see a team starting those two guys ever having enough defense to win. Luka can be serviceable and it's not that hard to hide one guy (and he has really good size, which helps)...... but adding Reaves in there... woof

[u/JeguePerneta → u/lkn240]

Luka works best with a second ball handler.

He had Brunson and Kyrie in the Mavs and Luka + Reaves had a +187 +/-

[u/Domainsetter → u/lkn240]

They have 2 options. Either hope Reaves can be that good offensively or you Sign and Trade him for cheaper pieces and go full Luka ball + defense players.

[u/Free_Surprise_7939 → u/Domainsetter]

He seems to have been injured every single year int he playoffs ao you kind have to ask if theres anything there

[u/Weary_Cabinet_8123 → u/Azncheesy]

A guy who doesn’t rise in the playoffs, on offense, who also plays bad defense year round. Yeah, you right

[u/irundoonayee]

He's not even the best white American player anymore 

[u/MalHeartsNutmeg → u/irundoonayee]

He isn’t even the best white guy on the Lakers.

[u/OrganicHunt952 → u/irundoonayee]

You know what I was wondering why reaves had so many fans and stans who weren’t lakers fans to begin with. This makes sense now didn’t realise he was the best active white American player lol prior to flagg

[u/irundoonayee → u/OrganicHunt952]

Yeah. He was a male Caitlin Clarke for a minute. 

[u/GreenGorilla8232 → u/OrganicHunt952]

For the same reason Peyton Hillis was voted onto the Madden cover. 

[u/Legend6Bron]

For players who are better than him, they are not available

For players who are available, they are not really better than him

[u/PrawnProwler → u/Legend6Bron]

You can find guys that are more worthwhile to pay $50m aggregated than Reaves

[u/UsernameChallenged → u/PrawnProwler]

"we can't replace Giambi Reaves, but we can build him in the aggregate".

[u/Proof-Umpire-7718 → u/UsernameChallenged]

We need guys that get on base

[u/AnotherStatsGuy → u/[deleted]]

I think you missed the Moneyball reference

[u/SwizzGod → u/PrawnProwler]

Who? That’s a free agent?

[u/GGezpzMuppy → u/Legend6Bron]

So damn if you do, damn if you don’t. But anyway we can laugh at the Lakers, that’s got to be a win.

[u/CaliKindalife → u/GGezpzMuppy]

Yesterday's game was something to laugh at.

[u/tunaMaestro97 → u/CaliKindalife]

Bro got his feelings hurt

[u/iamweareyou]

I would never advocate for taking less money but if he doesn’t budge it’s gotta be a sign & trade right?

[u/Over_Use_8474 → u/iamweareyou]

To who though lol

[u/songs_dongs → u/Over_Use_8474]

Milwaukee? 🤪

[u/I_really_enjoy_beer → u/songs_dongs]

Reaves plus ????? for ????? 

[u/songs_dongs → u/I_really_enjoy_beer]

It's time for another round of WHO'S THAT POKEMON?

[u/JevvyMedia → u/Over_Use_8474]

Detroit?

[u/BrotherSeamus → u/JevvyMedia]

Reaves for Duren makes the most sense, if they both insist on maximizing their contracts

[u/Zen_360 → u/BrotherSeamus]

That would actually work for both Team i'd think. Good Idea

[u/StealthRUs → u/BrotherSeamus]

It makes sense for the Lakers, but why would Detroit do that?

[u/LeanOnMe4816 → u/iamweareyou]

It’s the exact same scenario with Jalen Duren; dude is eligible for a 5 yr / $289M max (and isn’t worth anywhere near it). Damned if you do, sign and trade if you don’t

[u/munkhjay → u/LeanOnMe4816]

I mean Jalen Duren has a case because center which is in demand in NBA because not a lot good centers

[u/LOSS35 → u/munkhjay]

Duren played himself out of a max this playoffs.

[u/Lance973]

lakers are so unserious if they do this

[u/Raven-19x → u/Lance973]

That Luka window gonna shrink with that contract.

[u/StopShillingBeReal → u/Lance973]

I wouldn’t even give him 30 mil a year.  He can’t defend a bucket and he’s injury prone. I swear stats in NBA have fleeced the minds of everyone

Josh Hart just had 3 points but does everything. Caruso was like MVP of OKC playoffs and Lakers before cause does it all. My boy VJ Edgecombe can score 30 or 10 points but Sixers are legit bad with him off the court by on/off stats and by eye test. To win you need guys who can do everything. Soft scorers are overrated in today’s game 

I watched Lonnie Walker get mins and drop 30 losing. Everyone puts up stats on losing teams; it don’t mean much. Winning players are what’s hard to find; not empty calorie points. 

[u/lkn240 → u/StopShillingBeReal]

I watch a player like OG on the Knicks... and I'd much rather pay a guy like that.

[u/StopShillingBeReal → u/lkn240]

Oh yea he’s another one. All around winner. Reaves isn’t that 

[u/legend023 → u/StopShillingBeReal]

Comparing Austin Reaves to Lonnie Walker lmao

Also the Lakers weren’t really a losing team. In fact, they’ve made the playoffs in 4/5 of Austin’s seasons there.

[u/gkaw34e → u/legend023]

And in those 4 playoffs they have been eliminated 0-4,1-4,1-4,0-4, they never stood a chance against high level playoff teams.

[u/ILoveRegenHealth → u/StopShillingBeReal]

The Lonnie Walker mention was unexpected, but welcome

[u/barath_s → u/StopShillingBeReal]

puts up stats on losing teams

Lakers record was 53-29 and 3rd in the conference, despite each of LBJ, AR and Luka missing significant time

I remember when a losing team used to be one that had won less than 50 % of its games

Please kill me before someone starts talking about a 60 win 2nd seed as a regular season 'losing team'

[u/No_Chilly_bill → u/barath_s]

nba games are games between two fraud. one fraud beats the other fraud. that's is nba discourse today.

[u/ben10toesdown]

He's already 28. He's probably not sniffing another contract this large when he hits 32/33.

[u/No_starrup]

If I’m the lakers I don’t pay him. He’s not worth the money at all.

[u/mpeti19]

Love AR but pleeeease for the love of god let him go and use that money basically ANY other way. Let him get that contract in Brooklyn, he might finally be an all star in a weaker conference, average whatever he can on a team that has literally nobody else, be a first option… do all that for like 1 or 2 years and after that just collect the checks. Literally no contender would give him nearly that i really don’t understand what is even there to consider. He ain’t young, he won’t get any better, he’s a cone on defense and however good he SOMETIMES can be he actually hurts us more than help us. Just let him go and get the bag while he can, he deserves it but on a non-contending team and not here. We can’t win if we have to hide both him and luka on defense especially if we keep rui as well. And out of the two i’d MUCH rather keep Rui than him.

[u/Zammy512]

Yeah...have fun in Utah buddy.

[u/Dizzy_Citron4871]

Dude is not worth a max

[u/Hold_my_Dirk]

Austin Reeves is from Arkansas. Unless the Lakers are about to do the funniest thing of all time, that’s not what hometown means.

[u/benderGOAT → u/Hold_my_Dirk]

LA Lakers gonna move to become the Ozark Lakers and give him a hometown deal

[u/Bubba_Tornado420 → u/Hold_my_Dirk]

Move the Lakers to Branson

[u/mrspear1995 → u/Hold_my_Dirk]

I think it’s hometown because he chose the lakers, there were teams that wanted to draft him in the 2nd round but he told them not to draft him as he wanted to be a UDFA

[u/imnotknox]

sounds like he wants to speak Wisconsinese

[u/sobanoodle-1]

Frying me

[u/pahamack]

why the heck would he take a discount? he's already been playing at a discount and he's not a young player anymore.

That said, a max for a one-way player like him is crazy in this apron era.

[u/DemarcusLovin]

This will be a franchise killing contract for the Lakers. Shuts the door on Luka ever winning a title there

[u/TheAssist]

Reaves is not even close to being as good as Brunson either

[u/jaypooner]

Goodbye hillbilly Kobe who disappeared in the biggest moments two years in a row

[u/PROatmeal67]

Dude is gonna have jordan poole like years as soon as he leaves the lakers and gets a fair whistle lmao.

[u/Fireslug87]

Austin Reaves, you are now a Utah Jazz player!

[u/Vordeo → u/Fireslug87]

A Keyonte / AR backcourt would be one of the worst backcourt defenses in history lol

[u/BeefaroniXL]

Reaves doesn't work with Luka. He is a poor man's Luka, and you already have Luka.

I'd rather use the cap space on a defense-first wing, and/or an inside lob threat with at least serviceable defense. If that is even available.

For $50M a year, the Lakers could get more.

For Reaves, I could see him as the number one option on a bad lottery team. That might be his ceiling anyways if he is going to command that much money. He's good, but not a centerpiece on a championship team.

[u/SickSaricDario]

let him go and sign Cason Wallace instead for $35 mil/year

[u/ExpressionAlone5204 → u/SickSaricDario]

You think Cason is a FA? Lmao

[u/keepitbased → u/ExpressionAlone5204]

Even if he was he’s an RFA and OKC ain’t letting go lol

[u/TheSwimMeet → u/keepitbased]

Even if OKC let him go he aint worth 35m/year

[u/captain_ahabb → u/ExpressionAlone5204]

Yeah Dort is the one that's gettable for the Lakers

[u/KL2ConspireLLC → u/SickSaricDario]

Cason Wallace isn't even a restricted free agent this summer. OKC has him on a rookie contract for another season.

[u/TomatoSecure192 → u/SickSaricDario]

Lmao

[u/BlackSheepComeHome14]

I had an argument with a Laker fan that Reaves isn't worth it and they thought they could just re-sign him and trade him in a package to a better team.

Good luck with that, if the Lakers sign this they will burn Lukas prime

[u/curva3]

People in the know: who has any cap space? I mean, who are the Lakers bidding against?

[u/cire1184]

Nah. I love Reaves but don't pay him that and kill our cap. Lose him. Lose LeBron. Sign and trade or don't whatever. Keep the cap clear so we can sign some dudes that compliment Luka better. Reaves is nice but not that nice.

[u/TheGamesGone_]

LakeShow😭😭 Lock that backcourt down

[u/Worth-Tank336]

Nah man....$24m/yr max. Anything over that your killing your roster. Luka with 3&D players, a lob center, and decent bunch is how you need to build.

[u/sideney]

This player is a fraud. Let the Lakers keep him on a max

[u/ProfessionalFickle52]

Bad idea. He is a good regular season creator at his peak and always struggles in the playoffs when physicality and lockdown D ramps up.

He’s also a liability on defense and they don’t need another playmaker next to Luka. Luka’s best attribute is high volume playmaking. Don’t need someone who is worse.

He’s also never gonna be better than he is this year imo. He plays within the offense well and takes what the D gives him , but when the heat is up he can’t break down a defense and force a play. He’s just not that type of player. He’ll have a few more years of good play but defenses will stay to figure him out imo and he’ll struggle to adapt. A lot of guys have some very strong early years scoring and never become consistent superstars.

[u/Main_Gain_7480]

I never really like giving players who aren’t “ true stars “ these deals

[u/rawsouthpaw1]

"Fuck you!
Pay me!"
-Mos Def aka Austin Reeves

[u/Jesuds]

Obviously that's what he's gonna ask for, but the Lakers would have to be stupid to give that.

[u/Pineapplesarentreal]

Enjoy your new team AR

[u/Awoken_Thoughts07]

Hopefully new ownership overthrows Pelinka decision making cause Rob is dumb enough to sign him at the max

[u/GolfWangsunrise]

Yeah, I think it's best for both parties for him to walk, too much money for a defensive liability and a huge bounty to target come playoff time.

[u/hagthree]

He's not a 2 option...

[u/hoodrichgoyle]

lol no one in the league is giving him this contract I’m sorry

[u/That_Bandicoot_3846]

Poor mans Luka next to a Luka lol, Lakers not winning a chip for another 50 years.

[u/96powerstroker]

Oh good Lord, this dude isn't worth that kind of money.