Stein: Lakers are a lock to match any offer made to Austin Reaves

It looks like perhaps the Lakers will not spare any expense in order to keep one of their best and most popular players.

The Los Angeles Lakers have big free agent decisions to make this summer, and the biggest is arguably what to do with rising standout guard Austin Reaves.

He will be a restricted free agent, which means the Lakers can match any contract offer given to him by another team. However, there is a feeling he will attract at least one big offer on the open market.

Some have feared or even surmised that Los Angeles will not open its wallet to keep Reaves, citing what happened with Alex Caruso, another undrafted gem, two years ago. Caruso left reportedly because the team was short when it came to how much money it offered him.

But according to veteran reporter Marc Stein, there is no reason for Lakers fans to fear Reaves will be shortchanged by his current team.

Via Marc Stein’s Substack:

“The Lakers, league sources say, are a lock to match any offer on Reaves — even if someone signs Reaves to the maximum allowable offer sheet worth nearly $100 million over four years.”

The Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs will reportedly make a run at the Arkansas native once free agency opens just days from now.