Josh Hart Had the Perfect Two-Word Reaction to Austin Reaves’ Massive $185 Million Deal

Josh Hart could have written a whole paragraph. He could have dug into the numbers, the history, the stakes. Instead, he kept it short and perfect.

The Knicks guard reposted Shams Charania’s report that Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to stay with the Lakers. Hart’s caption? Two words and a bunch of money bag emojis: “Sheeshhhh AR.” That’s it. That’s the whole thing.

And honestly, that’s all you need.

The deal is historic. Reaves is about to own the richest contract ever given to an undrafted player in NBA history. He came to the Lakers on a two-way deal back in 2021, worked his way into the rotation, and just never stopped getting better. His scoring average has climbed every single season since he entered the league.

The contract includes a player option for the 2029-30 season, and Reaves declined his $14.9 million player option to make this happen. Smart move.

He clears the old record held by Fred VanVleet, who signed a three-year, $130 million deal with the Rockets in 2023. Naz Reid’s five-year, $125 million extension with the Timberwolves now sits third.

Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points last season on 49 percent shooting, plus 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds. He missed time with calf and oblique injuries, only playing 51 games. Then he came back for the playoffs and dropped 20 points per game across six outings before the Lakers got bounced by the Thunder.

Hart and Reaves: More Than Just NBA Buddies

These two go way back. They were teammates on USA Basketball at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and they spend their offseasons playing golf together. So Hart celebrating his guy getting paid was basically inevitable.

The timing works out nicely for Hart too. He just finished a championship run with the Knicks, who won their first title in 53 years. So he’s got a ring on his finger and a friend who just locked up generational money. Not a bad week.