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Austin Reaves is scheduled for restricted free company this offseason, however he and the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly don’t need him to go wherever.
Throughout a dialogue with the Athletic’s Jovan Buha on the HoopsHype podcast, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto stated the 2 sides “need to get a deal finished” though “a number of groups have Reaves on their free-agency radar.”
Buha supplied a cautionary story for anybody who merely assumes Reaves might be again provided that mutual curiosity.
“That is sort of lining as much as probably be one other Alex Caruso state of affairs the place he desires to be there, and the Lakers need to retain him, but when they attempt to get a bit of too cute with the supply or negotiation, I may see him probably leaving and going someplace the place he will get the total non-taxpayer mid-level exception,” Buha stated.
“I would not be stunned if he bought some cap area into the $12-15 million vary from a staff.”
It’s a testomony to Reaves that he has performed his means into such a place after he went undrafted following a collegiate profession that included stops with Wichita State and Oklahoma.
He’s averaging 11.5 factors, 2.9 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists per recreation whereas taking pictures 51.1 p.c from the sphere and 38.5 p.c from deep this season. His versatility permits him to affect the sport outdoors of the normal numbers as properly, as he can deal with the ball if wanted, play off the wing and even defend a number of positions.
Los Angeles has requested him to begin and anchor the bench at instances, and he has discovered success doing each.
Specifically, sustaining these taking pictures numbers might be key as soon as LeBron James returns from harm and opposing defenses need to account for the King, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell.
That may create no scarcity of area for the opposite function gamers, and Reaves is somebody who can knock these photographs down and proceed incomes enjoying time within the season’s greatest moments.
He may also earn himself fairly the contract supply this offseason.