Lakers' Austin Reaves Opts Out Of Contract, Plans To Re-sign For Four Years

Both Austin Reaves and nan Lakers person ever stated their desire to proceed their narration that started erstwhile he was an undrafted imaginable 5 years ago.

They will.

Reaves intends to re-sign pinch nan Lakers for a maximum woody of 4 years and $185-million, group not authorized to speak connected nan matter confirmed to The Times connected Wednesday.

Reaves opted retired of his woody that was to salary him $14.8 cardinal adjacent play and would person go 1 of nan apical free agents connected nan market.

Instead, he will motion nan richest statement successful NBA history for an undrafted player. The woody besides includes a subordinate action for nan last play successful 2029-30.

Reaves’ representatives and nan Lakers began moving together connected a woody successful caller days erstwhile teams were capable to discuss pinch their ain free agents astatine nan conclusion of nan NBA Finals.

Reaves, 28, will gain astir $46 cardinal per season, starting pinch making $41.3 cardinal successful nan first year.

After nan Lakers mislaid successful nan 2nd information of nan playoffs to Oklahoma City, Reaves had this to erstwhile asked astir his early and returning to nan Lakers.

“I’ve been astir for 5 years and y’all I would say, but I don’t deliberation astir (it) much,” Reaves said. “I return life time by time and I’m conscionable blessed to person an opportunity to play for this organization, play a kid’s game. I make bully money. But for illustration I said, I don’t deliberation astir what I’m really going to do successful nan future, conscionable day-by-day.”

The Lakers, connected nan different hand, made it clear that they wanted Reaves back.

The Lakers were alert that respective teams for illustration Brooklyn and Detroit had expressed liking successful Reaves, and LA didn’t want to fto him get away, making judge they didn’t by agreeing to a woody to support him a Laker.

During his exit question and reply pinch nan media past month, Lakers president of hoops operations Rob Pelinka said astir Reaves.

“He started his travel present arsenic a Laker and has made it very clear to america that he wants his travel to proceed arsenic a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we consciousness nan aforesaid way. We want his Odyssey to proceed to unfold successful nan Purple and Gold. As you know, there’s rules and timing to each of that but I deliberation some sides person made it abundantly clear that we want to activity thing retired wherever he continues his prolific profession here.”

Reaves averaged profession precocious successful points (23.3) and rebounds (4.7) past play pinch nan Lakers, and 5.5 assists.

But he appeared successful a career-low 51 games, a calf wounded and an oblique wounded keeping him retired of games.

He missed nan past 5 regular-season games pinch nan oblique wounded suffered connected April 2 astatine OKC and nan first 4 first-round playoff games against nan Rockets. But he worked difficult to return successful nan past 2 postseason games against nan Rockets and nan 4 against nan Thunder successful nan 2nd round.

In those six playoff games, Reaves averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds and changeable 40.7 percent from nan field, 25.7 percent from three-point range.

“That’s nan beautiful point astir hoops is there’s ever opportunities and areas that you tin proceed to grow,” Reaves said during his exit interview. “You’re ne'er going to beryllium complete successful nan afloat game. So, I’ll return immoderate clip off, get backmost successful nan gym and proceed to get better.”