The Lakers just handed Austin Reaves $185 million, and now the front office is telling us why.
Rob Pelinka broke his silence on the extension with a statement that basically said exactly what you’d expect. The guy works hard. The guy is selfless. The guy is a cornerstone. But there’s more to this story than a general manager saying nice things about a player he just paid.
“From the moment he joined this organization, Austin has embodied the work ethic and selfless approach that define our culture,” Pelinka wrote, posted to the Lakers’ official account on X. “We’re thrilled to continue building with him as a cornerstone of our team as we pursue our championship goals.”
All of that is true. But the real story is how Reaves got here in the first place. The undrafted narrative gets thrown around a lot, but it’s not quite accurate. Reaves actually told teams not to take him in the second round. He wanted to land in Los Angeles specifically, and he made it happen. That kind of calculated self-awareness is rare, and it worked out about as well as it possibly could have.
So now you’ve got a backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Two guys who can score from anywhere but don’t exactly strike fear into opposing offenses on defense. People have questions about that. Valid questions. Doncic did make the Finals two years ago with Kyrie Irving next to him, and Irving isn’t exactly known for locking people down either. So maybe it can work. Maybe it needs more help on the wing.
The Lakers traded for Walker Kessler this offseason, which helps at the rim. They need someone who can guard on the perimeter, though. There’s chatter about Jonathan Kuminga as a potential signing. The team has not confirmed anything there, but it makes sense. They need length and athleticism to cover for Doncic and Reaves when things get tight in the playoffs.
For now, the Lakers are betting big on Reaves. He’s proven he can handle the pressure, and he’s shown he can elevate his game when the lights are brightest. That’s worth something in this league. Whether it’s worth $185 million is the question the Lakers are betting they answered correctly.
We’ll find out soon enough.
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