[Saba Sports News] Earlier this month, Austin Reaves inked the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted player in NBA history. However, per U.S. media reports, the four-year, $180 million extension he ultimately agreed to carries a $5 million reduction from the preliminary deal. This pay cut will grant the Los Angeles Lakers extra salary cap flexibility and likely unlock the full Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception for them next offseason. Sources confirm Reaves’ four-year $180 million extension includes a player option in the final year of the contract. Entering his sixth campaign with the Lakers, he will shoulder unprecedented responsibility and anchor the franchise alongside Luka Dončić. When asked about locking in his long-term deal with Los Angeles ahead of free agency, Reaves shared: “I’ve always wanted to stay a Laker. We had a window between the end of last season and July 1, when free agency opened, to hammer out this extension and get it finalized early. My heart’s been in LA the whole time.”
The editor believes that during an ESPN interview last season, Austin Reaves stated he hoped to “spend his entire career in a Lakers jersey”. Locking down this massive contract this summer marks a crucial step toward making that goal a reality.