Reaves wants the full max from the Lakers, and his case has two sides.
Austin Reaves is about to become one of the most talked-about names in NBA free agency.
The 28-year-old guard is widely expected to decline his $14.9 million player option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent after putting together the best year of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He went from undrafted to essential in just four seasons, and now he wants to be paid like it.
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times recently spoke on Spectrum SportsNet about where things stand heading into the offseason.
"Based on what I understand, what I keep hearing: Austin wants the max," Turner said. "Is he willing to give the Lakers a hometown deal? I'm not so sure about that."
The Lakers can offer Reaves a five-year deal worth roughly $241 million because they hold his Bird rights, while outside teams like the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets could offer four years and $178 million.
The question is whether he has earned that kind of money, and the answer depends on which part of his season you look at.
The Case For the Max
When Reaves was on the floor this past season, he was one of the better guards in the league.
He averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from three across 51 games.
Those numbers were a massive jump from the 15.9 points he averaged just two years ago, and he showed the kind of steady growth that front offices are willing to pay for.
He also proved to be a perfect fit alongside Luka Doncic, who led the league in scoring at 33.5 points per game.
The two formed one of the most dangerous backcourt pairings in the NBA, and their chemistry played a big role in helping the Lakers finish 53-29 and win the Pacific Division.
Reaves dropped a career-high 51 points earlier in the year and hit multiple game-winners, proving he can take over on any given night.
The Case Against
As good as Reaves was when healthy, the health part is a real concern.
He only played 51 of 82 regular season games after dealing with a calf strain and a Grade 2 oblique injury that derailed what was shaping up to be an All-Star caliber year.
Paying max money for a player who missed nearly 40 percent of the regular season is a tough sell, and the Lakers felt his absence throughout the year.
Then there is the postseason, where the Lakers were swept by Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Reaves struggled on the defensive end and was consistently targeted by the Thunder, raising real questions about whether he can hold up as a max-level player when it matters most.
A $241 million deal would make him one of the highest-paid guards in basketball, and the Lakers will need to decide if that price matches his ceiling or if building differently around Doncic is the smarter play.
