The Lakers checked off one of their biggest offseason boxes by formally bringing back Austin Reaves, and they did it with the kind of language that makes clear how central he’s become to what they’re building.
“Austin’s relentless pursuit of improvement, fierce competitiveness and commitment to winning have made him an integral part of our organization,” president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to continue building with him as a cornerstone of our team as we pursue our championship goals.”
Reaves landed a four-year, maximum contract reportedly worth about $185 million after turning down his player option for next season. The former undrafted guard just finished a career year, averaging 23.3 points, and his rise alongside Luka Doncic made him one of the most sought-after free agents who never actually hit the market.
Elsewhere, Keon Ellis said Brooklyn felt like the right move almost immediately. The veteran guard pointed to his previous connection with coach Jordi Fernandez in Sacramento as a major reason he chose the Nets.
“From what I heard, he was pulling for me really hard,” Ellis said, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “I know the way he coaches.
He’s very passionate. He’s about the right things.
He wants to win.”
Ellis signed a two-year, $18 million deal and believes his defense and perimeter shooting will blend well with Brooklyn’s young group.
“When you combine all those things, they just lined up,” he said.
In Orlando, Nikola Vucevic is back with a bigger goal in mind than nostalgia. The veteran center said he returned because he sees a Magic team ready to push further after years of steady growth.
“It’s one of the reasons I came back,” Vucevic said, via Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel. “This team has a chance to take the next step and go deep into the playoffs.”
Vucevic spent more than eight seasons with the Magic before being traded to Chicago in 2021, and now he wants to help Orlando get beyond the first round for the first time since 2010. At 35, he also made it clear retirement isn’t on his radar.
“Hopefully,” he said, “I can stay in Orlando for a few years.”
In Other News...
Jeff Weltman Finally Explained Why The Magic Stayed Patient
Jeff Weltman spent the offseason defending the Magics decision to stay patient with a roster that just won 45 games, and his explanation centered on something Orlando has spent the past year trying to work through: continuity. The president of basketball operations pointed to the teams core players, the returning starting lineup and the sense that the group still has room to grow once it gets more time together and more stability around it.
That optimism is part of why the Magic did not rush into a major shake-up, even with expectations rising. The franchise is also hoping new head coach Sean Sweeney can help squeeze more out of a young roster that already showed flashes when healthy, which makes the next step feel less like a rebuild and more like a test of how far this group can climb with the right pieces in place. [Read more 🡒]
Which Magic Youngster Makes The Leap This Team Desperately Needs
The Magic head into the new season with a fresh voice on the sideline in Sean Sweeney, and with it comes the familiar hope that one of their young cornerstones will take the kind of step that changes the teams ceiling. Orlando has built its identity around youth, and the next leap matters because the roster already has a strong base of promising talent that still has room to grow under a new coaching staff.
Anthony Black, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and a second-year French forward all stand out as the most obvious candidates to make that jump, but the biggest intrigue may be how Sweeney can help Banchero sharpen the consistency that separates good stars from elite ones. Wagner also remains a key part of the equation, and the Magic need more than incremental progress from at least one of these players if they want this season to feel like a real step forward rather than another year of waiting on potential. [Read more 🡒]
Magic Fans Are About To Lose Another Franchise Voice
The familiar voice that has carried Orlando Magic games since the franchises birth is moving on, with David Steele announcing his retirement after a run that stretched across 37 seasons. Steele was there from the start in 1989, becoming one of the most recognizable figures in team history and earning multiple honors along the way, including Florida Sportscaster of the Year recognition.
For Magic fans, the timing makes the change feel even more significant after another longtime in-arena voice also departed the organization not long ago. Steeles exit closes a major chapter in the teams broadcast identity, and it leaves the franchise with a new look in a place where continuity has mattered for decades. [Read more 🡒]