The Los Angeles Lakers handed Austin Reaves a four-year, $185 million contract extension, and his immediate reaction to his deal was amazing.
Reaves will avoid entering free agency after agreeing to his new contract a week before the start of free agency on July 3.
The Lakers had real competition for Reaves in free agency, which is why the news that the Lakers gave him the max contract to keep him from leaving for nothing left him ecstatic.
Austin Reaves nearly fell into a bunker while playing golf when the Lakers’ offer came in
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revealed that Reaves was playing golf in Arkansas when he got a call from his agents informing him that the Lakers will give him a max contract, leading to a phenomenal celebration.
“He gave an interview to The Athletic yesterday where he said he was not optimistic. Two days ago, he thought he was not going to be a Laker. Then he got a call yesterday. He’s playing golf back home in Arkansas, and his agents are telling him, ‘Austin, they agreed to the max,’ and he falls over. He almost fell into the bunker for crying out loud.”
Thankfully, Reaves avoided an injury minutes after signing the biggest contract of any undrafted free agent in NBA history.
The Lakers are expected to continue building out their roster around Reaves and Luka Doncic for championship contention, with the team’s cap space intact, as Reaves will officially sign via Bird rights after the Lakers have completed their free agency moves.
Austin Reaves needs to live up to the price tag to secure Lakers’ future
Reaves is coming off a season where he averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, likely earning All-Star and All-NBA buzz if he hadn’t suffered injuries over the season.
He’s thrived alongside Doncic, further adding to the proof that Doncic thrives with an offensive guard next to him, as he did with Jalen Brunson and Kyrie Irving earlier.
Given the scrutiny the Lakers will be under with Doncic leading the franchise, any underperformance from Reaves will generate a stronger negative reaction now that he’s no longer on a team-friendly contract.
If Reaves wants to be a one-team man for the Lakers, he’ll have to play an integral role in a title-winning season alongside Doncic.
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