u/Luka77GOATic

Reaves was expected to receive free-agent interest from multiple teams - - such as Detroit -- on maximum-level salary, so the Lakers stepped up on Wednesday to lock in their homegrown talent. Reaves went from undrafted to a two-way player -- to making the Lakers roster and now multiple lucrative deals in L.A.

Source: https://www.threads.com/@shams/post/DZ-VxOaEZUn?xmt=AQG0qlyVVTJA4IsuyIh68Q7CSd9gD28w-KQb91Qj7okOdFzZ-gIyQJ2tJwu3TIgBt0dhIOGL&slof=1

Reaves was expected to receive free-agent interest from multiple teams - - such as Detroit -- on maximum-level salary, so the Lakers stepped up on Wednesday to lock in their homegrown talent. Reaves went from undrafted to a two-way player -- to making the Lakers roster and now multiple lucrative deals in L.A.

Source: https://www.threads.com/@shams/post/DZ-VxOaEZUn?xmt=AQG0qlyVVTJA4IsuyIh68Q7CSd9gD28w-KQb91Qj7okOdFzZ-gIyQJ2tJwu3TIgBt0dhIOGL&slof=1

“As ESPN reported months ago, Reaves intends to become a free agent instead of opting into his $14.9 million player options for next season, and the 28-year-old guard will be one of the best players on the market, coming off a career year in his fifth season.

Reaves averaged 23.3 points on 49% shooting (36% from 3), with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals, but played a career-low 51 games after being sidelined with a left calf injury around midseason and then an oblique injury that caused him to miss the start of L.A.'s first-round series against the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers can offer him a five-year deal worth $241 million. The most any other team could present is four years and $179 million.

Pelinka, during an exit interview news conference with reporters, expressed confidence in Reaves' return. "He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker," Pelinka said. "And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the Purple and Gold. ... I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here."

Reaves has a $20.9 million cap hold, meaning L.A. will still have that nearly $50 million of cap space to negotiate with other free agents and be able to go above the cap to ink Reaves to a new deal.

If Reaves agrees to a contract below the max, it would provide L.A. with future roster flexibility, including helping to avoid the punitive measures put in place if it exceeded the second apron.

One team expected to have interest in Reaves is the Brooklyn Nets, multiple league sources said. The Nets have enough cap space to offer Reaves the four-year max deal and are still rebuilding after the short-lived Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving-James Harden era.

Still, sources familiar with Reaves' thinking told ESPN throughout the season that Reaves' contract decision will not come down solely to a dollar figure. There will be various factors, including Reaves' repeated stance that he would like to play his entire career with the Lakers.”

Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/\_/id/49098803/the-five-biggest-questions-lakers-need-answer-offseason-lebron-james-austin-reaves-luka-doncic-nba-offseason-free-agency