The Los Angeles Lakers nonetheless have numerous issues to determine this summer time. Their beginning backcourt is not one among them.
Wednesday, Austin Reaves and the Lakers agreed on a four-year, $185M extension that can hold him in Discussion board blue and gold by means of the 2029-30 season. It will not hold the Lakers from making different strikes, however the 28-year-old guard who averaged 23.3 factors final season is locked in.
Los Angeles Lakers dedicated to Austin Reaves-Luka Doncic core
The brand new contract, probably the most Reaves may have obtained on the open market, means the Lakers have dedicated over $330M to their two beginning guards.
Reaves will make $41.3M subsequent season, whereas Luka Doncic will earn $49.8M. Mixed, their salaries will take up simply over 58 p.c of the staff’s wage cap.
That will not have an effect on their means to spend this summer time, nevertheless. The Lakers could have round $52M in cap room, assuming Deandre Ayton opts in to his $8.1M contract for 2026-27. As a result of the Lakers can go over the cap to signal Reaves utilizing his Chicken rights, they will spend as much as the cap after which ink Reaves final.
That offers the Lakers an enormous alternative to remake their staff this summer time — and this summer time solely. With each of their guards on megadeals, the staff’s future flexibility is proscribed. Due to the NBA’s second-apron penalties, it is arduous so as to add extra wage round two max offers.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have dominated collectively
The Lakers may do loads worse than constructing their staff round two high-scoring guards, even when they’re challenged on protection. When Doncic and Reaves play collectively, the Lakers are 46-21, a 56-win tempo for a full season.
They moved as much as nab Cam Carr at No. 24 in Tuesday’s draft, giving the staff one other shooter and bench scorer. However the Lakers have numerous holes to fill. Ahead Rui Hachimura is a free agent, as is sharpshooter Luke Kennard, middle Jaxson Hayes and ahead/GOAT LeBron James.
There isn’t any apparent difference-maker out there in free company, so the staff could must be inventive with trades to land somebody large. Or, they might run it again with final yr’s staff, and never a lot alternative to improve. James may return at a reduced price, however he’d understandably wish to see what the Lakers would use the cash they’d save.
Signing Reaves is the Lakers’ most vital large transfer of the summer time. It is vital that it isn’t their final one.
