Austin Reaves had become close friends with LeBron James ever since he joined Los Angeles Lakers in 2021. Even though he came to the squad just two years back, Reaves caught every NBA fan’s attention this season with his electrifying performances. He really blossomed into a wonderful player within his second NBA season. As a result, the Lakers’ front office will hope to keep AR in the offseason. Undoubtedly, he can be a valuable asset to the team in the future.
However, the problem is Austin Reaves’ increased demand in the league after his fabulous performance in the current season. Evidently, he played an instrumental role in helping the LA side reach the Western Conference Finals. However, the season ended for the Los Angeles Lakers on a humiliating note. Denver Nuggets blew the 17-time champions away, winning the series 4-0. And now, when the NBA offseason speculations are catching the winds, it is tough to determine if Reaves will stay with the Lakers or find a new home in another team. But recently, AR has once again expressed his desire to play alongside LeBron James for at least another season.
Austin Reaves Wants To Stay With Lakers And Play Alongside LeBron James
However, about Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers owner, Jeanie Buss, eagerly wanted to keep him on the roster. But there is a chance that AR might get a better offer from another team with bigger cap space. On the other hand, Los Angeles Lakers have heavy investments in the top two stars – LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Perhaps they might not be able to offer Austin Reaves more than a $50 million contract over four years. But AR mentioned that he wants to be a Laker forever. He has been a fan since the days of Kobe Bryant. Moreover, Austin Reaves recently acknowledged that “I never want to see a player as good as LeBron James not play in NBA.”
“I wish him to come back next year so that I can play alongside him again.” LeBron James mentioned a while ago during the regular season that AR has always got his back. It proves to be accurate, as Austin Reaves added that James is still playing at a high level. According to Reaves, if any other player had done half of what LeBron James had accomplished in his 20 NBA years, he would get the tag of a great player. Adding to that, Austin Reaves said, LeBron James has been the staple of the NBA ever since he got drafted in 2003. Hence, he clearly is not happy with LeBron’s hint of a sudden retirement. Only time will tell if the 38-year-old superstar comes back to fulfill the wish of this emerging superstar and his Lakers teammate.
Lakers Will Need To Chalk Out A Plan To Keep The Young Guns In The Team
Anyhow, the Lakers need to keep in mind the off-season trades at present. They need to figure out a plan about who they can keep on the roster and who they need to trade. For instance, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura are both restricted free agents. However, D’Angelo Russell is an unrestricted free agent.
Hence, there is a good possibility that the Lakers will trade D’Lo in the offseason. D’Lo expressed interest in signing with Miami Heat. But the Lakers will come to a conclusion later. Moreover, Los Angeles Lakers would like to keep the Japanese Rui Hachimura. He showed his class in the playoffs this season.