Austin Reaves Discussion: How Much Is He Worth?

We need to trade for another legit starter.

 

It's ridculous, but they have been going around.

We'll see Austin back in February.

 

Luckily the schedule for the next few weeks is actually pretty favorable.

 

It isn't bad. I looked at it just now...

 

And then people wonder why some players perform this way or another ... this injury most likely cost him quite a lot of money. Would you judge him if he sat our longer next time?

Kinda puts all that "Kawhi/contract year/whatever" BS in perspective.

 

i'm actually not sure. he's likely to be the best FA on the market, and like, 6 teams who could all legitimately see him as a big difference maker will have max cap space. he's going to get paid a lot, even if he misses most of the rest of the season, imo.

 

If we try to low ball him, which we won’t based on our new owners, I wouldn’t blame him if he left for what he’s worth.

 

i think we'll give him max, tbh. his max isn't a super max, so it's not worth a fight about it.

 

Austin is very self aware plus wants to remain a Laker and has stated in the past he's amicable to a (home town) but fair discount. With the year he was having, especially if it earned him an all star bid, "maybe" that meant 34-38M instead of 40-42 max. But with this nagging calf injury going to torpedo any chance at all star selection and coming at the worst time in his career arc ..... it may very well be acceptable in his mind and "fair" to accept that lower range.

 

i just think at least three teams would come knocking at the max, so it's best to just offer it. maybe we can get him to accept first year max with declines, selling him on the flexibility that will grant us to fill out the roster over time. but even that's a tough sell if utah, washington, bkn, etc. shows up with full 4 year maxes with max raises.

if i were rob/whoever is our gm in june, i'd just say we're fully prepared to go full max, but we'd like you to consider the declining salary option. then again, that's me imagining the business. in reality, i'm sure his agent will have heard from teams who might be interested by may, rules be damned, and a lot of this stuff will be sort of soft/market negotiated.

i will say that i was surprised when SA/houston/utah didn't offer reaves full max FA deals when he was an RFA. and i get that we signaled we'd match, but i thought at least one team would try to a) screw us and b) impress austin or his agency by just taking the swing.

so, yeah, i guess i know nothing. i'm expecting him to stay on a full max deal, though.

 

I just believe he’s completely sincere in wanting to remain a Laker and in LA where he’s comfortable with his options for his 2nd love golf … with the weather year round and will be willing like AC was to work with us somewhat on salary. Plus remains to be seen how the rest of the year goes and his performance in the playoffs.

 

So glad to see us playing excellent team defense now that Austin isn’t hurting us on that end.

 

The team suffers without its obvious best player