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After the LA Lakers failed to sign Alex Caruso to a new deal, some have become worried that they will do the same with Austin Reaves.
Reaves has turned into an above-average role player and someone who can help the Lakers get out of the slump that they've been in the past two seasons. Whenever a Lakers team is struggling, the world is always going to focus on that.
When Caruso wasn't re-signed and moved on to the Chicago Bulls in 2021, many fans weren't happy about it. Lakers fans knew the impact Caruso had.
Now, Reaves, a second-year player who came into the league undrafted, could be demanding more money, according to The Athletic:
“From what I’ve heard on that, it’s going to be more than Caruso money, that’s for sure,” said Jovan Buha, The Athletic's Lakers beat writer. “It’s going to be double digits.”
Caruso signed a four-year $36 million contract with the Chicago Bulls. If Austin Reaves is looking for more than that, the Lakers are going to have to open up the checkbook. Perhaps they could raise him to about $50 million for four or five years.
When talking about Alex Caruso now, many believe he's one of the top trade targets on the Chicago Bulls. Outside of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, who are going to require a big return due to their contracts, Caruso is the player teams are looking for.
An Eastern Conference general manager had the following to say, according to Bleacher Report:
"The guy to watch is (Alex) Caruso," the GM said in part. "They have had talks about Coby White, but he is going into free agency, and if you trade for him, you've got to pay him. No one is ready to take that leap with him. But Caruso has a contract that teams like (two years, $19 million after this season), and he is a good piece on a winning team.
"If we get into mid-January and they have not turned it around, look for a team that sees itself as a contender to make a run for him because he is really only an asset playing a role on a good team."
As seen with Caruso, if Austin Reaves doesn't get a new contract from the Lakers, other teams will be going after him.
Reaves is being paid $1.5 million this season.
Guess the Lakers players!
