6 players the Lakers should bring back at all costs next season
By Cal Durrett
Los Angeles Lakers: Austin Reaves
After going undrafted in 2021, Austin Reaves has quickly managed to carve out a role for himself in the NBA. Like Walker, Reaves has exceeded expectations and could also draw some interest from other teams. In fact, it’s expected that he could earn more than the former Laker Alex Caruso did back in the summer of 2021, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
That would mean that Reaves’ next contract could be around $10 million a season, which is reasonable given his production. Normally, that would be a prohibitive amount for the Lakers to pay a non-star, but Los Angeles could afford to pay to retain him since his next deal will fall under the unusual Gilbert Arenas rule. That rule limits the amount another team can offer a non-first-round pick in restricted free agency.
Assuming Reeves is re-signed by the Lakers, he’s the type of player that they need if they are to assemble a playoff team next season. He’s a knockdown shooter who can also put the ball on the floor and create for himself and others, allowing him to fit seamlessly around the team’s stars.