Austin Reaves has given the Lakers a little extra breathing room.
The guard’s new deal is now official at four years and $180 million, down from the $185 million agreement that had initially been in place. According to reporting from Jovan Buha, Reaves took the $5 million haircut to help the Lakers create more roster flexibility, with the goal of maximizing cap space for next summer.
Buha said the adjustment came after a conversation between Reaves and the team, and he laid out why the Lakers were interested in shaving money off the deal.
“I got this scoop last night and have been working on it this morning, and my understanding is that the Lakers are trying to get as much cap space as possible for next summer, when they can sign someone with that non-taxpayer MLE.”
He added that Spotrac has the reduction broken up as a $1.7 million discount in years two, three, and four, though he said he did not know whether the savings are actually spread across all three seasons or concentrated in one year.
“But Austin did take a $5 million pay cut as compared to what was previously agreed upon, and I think it’s notable. I know he had caught some flak from people for taking the full four-year max and not giving the Lakers a haircut at all,” said Buha.
Buha also pointed to the significance of the move under the new CBA, where every bit of space matters.
“What we’re seeing with the new CBA is that every dollar matters. And even if it is $1.7 million over three years or concentrated on one year, this is a nice gesture because this is something he didn’t have to do.”
He closed by framing it as a sign of Reaves’ commitment to the franchise.
“They had already given him the $185 million, and this is what retroactively happened when he was like, ‘If this is what helps the team make a move next summer, then this is a discount I will take,'” Buha concluded.
Reaves himself pointed to the people around the Lakers as the biggest reason he stayed when he spoke with the media.
“I just think it’s the organization, the coaching staff, obviously my relationship with the guys on the team last year, and then Luka, he’s one of my best friends on this planet. I talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better, and I tell him I’m not a coach,” Reaves said.
“But yeah, just the people that are in this organization, how they run, and the coaching staff are a big reason. I feel like we kind of see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and I think their competitive nature is one of the biggest reasons.”
The contract breakdown still hasn’t been made public, so it remains to be seen whether the Lakers will load the discount into year two or spread it across the three seasons after that. But the move appears aimed at preserving the Lakers’ ability to use the $15 million 2027 non-taxpayer MLE, whether that means chasing a major free agent or making a trade next summer.
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