The biggest storyline surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers entering this offseason was Austin Reaves’ future as a restricted free agent. Reaves had a fantastic sophomore season and was the third-best player for the team in the NBA Playoffs.
While the Lakers had the ability to match, it seemed like a guarantee that another team would offer Reaves a max offer sheet simply to make Los Angeles pay more. That ultimately didn’t happen, though, and Reaves returned to the team on an exceptionally-valued contract.
Reaves has quickly asserted himself as a fan favorite as he is someone who Lakers fans want to see be a lifetime Laker.