The Los Angeles Lakers could also be looking at a franchise altering dilemma. In accordance with NBA insider Kevin O’Connor, the Utah Jazz could possibly be ready to supply Austin Reaves a most contract if he reaches free company.
O’Connor prompt that Utah “I believe the Utah Jazz are going to be a group that has huge curiosity in Austin Reaves this summer season,” given their cap flexibility and want for a excessive IQ offensive hub. That type of provide would put the Lakers in an uncomfortable place, however the implications go nicely past merely matching a contract.
Why Utah’s curiosity creates actual strain now
From Utah’s perspective, the logic is evident. They’ve cap area, a younger roster nonetheless trying to find identification, and the flexibility to make Reaves a featured offensive piece reasonably than a complementary one.
Reaves matches completely into that imaginative and prescient. He can deal with the ball, rating effectively, and elevate teammates with out dominating possessions. For a rebuilding group, overpaying is much less about worth precision and extra about securing a dependable cornerstone.
For the Lakers, the hazard is timing. As soon as Reaves reaches the open market, outdoors groups management the leverage. Utah’s willingness to push a max deal forces Los Angeles to resolve whether or not Reaves matches their long run imaginative and prescient at that value level.
The Lakers’ future cap plan complicates every part
By the point Reaves’ subsequent contract actually issues, LeBron James is probably going not on the roster. That adjustments the monetary math, however it doesn’t simplify the choice.
LeBron’s departure would unencumber important cap area, however that area just isn’t earmarked for retention. It’s ammunition. The Lakers’ plan would virtually definitely be to chase one other star to pair subsequent to Luka Doncic.
That’s the key rigidity. Committing a max contract to Reaves may get rid of flexibility wanted to pursue a extra becoming co-star, ideally a middle, for Doncic. Even when the Lakers can afford Reaves numerically, they could not need to afford him strategically.
In that state of affairs, Reaves turns into much less of a foundational piece and extra of a helpful asset whose peak worth could also be proper now.
Why a commerce often is the cleanest final result
This isn’t about disrespecting Reaves. He has been instrumental within the Lakers’ success and stays one among their most trusted gamers. However roster building is about timing as a lot as expertise.
If the Lakers consider their subsequent chapter is constructed round Doncic and one other extra becoming elite star, locking in Reaves at a max degree may prohibit their skill to execute that plan. Buying and selling him now would permit Los Angeles to extract worth reasonably than face a binary resolution later.
Kevin O’Connor’s remark issues as a result of it reframes the chance. Utah doesn’t want the Lakers’ permission to reshape this case. If the Jazz are keen to overpay, Los Angeles might need to act earlier than free company removes their choices solely.
The Lakers are usually not selecting between holding or dropping Reaves. They’re selecting between controlling the result or reacting to it.
