Austin Reaves Considered Another Team Before Staying with LeBron James at the Lakers

Austin Reaves ultimately decided to re-sign with the Lakers, a significant move for a team that reached the Western Conference Finals largely thanks to his contributions. During the 2023 playoffs, he played a key role alongside LeBron James with an average of 16.9 points.

Despite his commitment to the Lakers, Reaves considered another option as a restricted free agent during the offseason. In an episode of The Lowe Post podcast, he mentioned contemplating the possibility of joining the Spurs to play alongside potential generational talent Victor Wembanyama.

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The Lakers’ strong inclination to match any offer Reaves received deterred other teams from pursuing him aggressively, he told Zach Lowe. Meanwhile, the player clarified that his preference was to remain in Los Angeles regardless of other offers.

Reaves Details his Offseason Signing with the Lakers

“You know, it definitely creeps into your mind, obviously, when there’s, you know, a little bit of talks back and forth about, you know, something possibly coming to light. But I didn’t think there was any way that the Lakers didn’t match what, you know, whatever was offered. They pretty much made it clear that they were gonna match whatever,” Reaves noted.

Reaves’ performances earned him a call-up to play for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup. Despite the team’s quarterfinal exit, this experience solidified the fact that he’s more than just a one-season standout. Albeit there may have been thoughts about playing alongside the first overall pick, he chose to remain in his current team.

Reaves provided more insights into his consideration: “You think about it a little bit, but at the end of the day, I wanted to be in L.A. You know you hear things, and obviously with Wembanyama, you know so much upside with him. Your mind kind of just wonders into that basketball world what that would be like.”

How Much Does Austin Reaves Make?

Austin Reaves secured a four-year, $53.8 million contract with the Lakers in the offseason.