10 Impending NBA free agents who could earn a payday down the stretch

9. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

Austin Reaves was a big spark for the Los Angeles Lakers during his rookie season in 2021-22, but he has been even better during his sophomore year. The 24-year-old swingman has carved out a role for himself as a legitimate NBA player, and his production for the surging Lakers will be key as they look to stamp their ticket to the postseason and make some waves out West.

The guard has done a little bit of everything in year two with the Lakers, having scored, facilitated, and defended at a high level. His numbers are solid, having averaged 11 points per contest while sinking 50.4 percent of his field goals and 39 percent of his 3-pointers. At 6-foot-5, he has offered the Lakers some versatility defensively. Playing approximately 27 minutes on average this season, Reaves has had a significant role, and that is bound to continue moving forward.

Reaves is inevitably going to get more than the $1.6 million on his deal this season. Teams would love to have a Jack of all trades type of player who can be a spark plug off the bench. There are questions as to what Reaves could command on the market, but it is bound to be more than he is on the books for right now.