I think there's a price where they walk away. If they are in the tax again next year they will be repeaters and subject to increased financial penalties over the tax line. Reaves is a RFA but falls under the Arenas provision meaning the Lakers would have to use the MLE to match his first year's salary which means they would be hard capped at ~$168m. Hachimura and Russell are also free agents and they only have 7 players under contract and are at $123m currently. That hard cap would limit them to spending ~$45m among the 8 remaining roster spots which would include Russell & Hachimura. Russell alone made $31,377,750 this season. Even at a discount rate of ~$25m they'd be in an impossible position with the hard cap and only $8m away with 6 more roster spots to fill if they matched an offer for Reaves. I really think Reaves is gettable in RFA.
Sure, he's the 3rd option on that team but there are times when Lebron & AD defer to him and he runs the offense. They even defer to him in clutch moments ....
He is shooting 40% from 3pt and that improved after all the trade that helped spaced the floor. I mean post ASB, his true shooting was 73% with 44% from 3pt. I mean if he were to sustain that for a season, he would warrant All NBA consideration. Even in the playoffs he is still right now shooting 40% from 3 pt. But the issue is that people forget that he is at best the 3rd option on the team. And even then he rotates that 3rd option role between DJ, Schroder, or even Walker the past few games. If you have to give him like $10 million to leave, you are basically paying him to definitely be a No 3/No.4 guy every game. He won't be as good defensively without Davis behind him on the Rockets, so he would have to continue to shoot 40+% from 3pt with at least like 13-15 ppg average. He didn't start doing that until the whole team filled out with shooting post ASB.
DLo is someone who is expendable. I think it is more nostalgia that he was drafted by the Lakers. Every decent team should have someone like Reaves. Reaves is indeed gettable but if he were 2-3 years younger, I would give him a big contract. Regardless I still think even at age 24 he should be favored over Russell.
50% of all the possessions in a career are defense and all the comps you listed are now semi useless because they can't play defense as well as Reaves. When their shot is not falling, they are the biggest negatives in the NBA. Even when they were playing their peak years, they were terrible defenders. That's what gives you the safety with this guy. If a player gives defensive effort forever then you're halfway there already.
And it's a different situation when Lebron and AD draw attention versus going to a team that wouldn't have the same gravity pulling away help defenders.
lmao there’s literally no one on this team that would be able to do what he’s doing in the playoffs they can’t even do it in the regular season against teams that don’t take us serious
Based on the playoffs I think the Lakers would prefer Reaves over Russell too. They've played at a similar level, except Reaves seems to step into that third option role more than Russell has. If Russell isn't a much better scorer, playmaker, or defender than Reaves why would the Lakers pay him so much more?
Russell has been alright, he has been in the league longer, is my explanation. But every team he has been on has traded him so there is that. Think about it. Minny traded for him for Wiggins and then got rid of him.
Things to clarify: - Reaves cannot and should not be a first or second scoring option. On a contender he should be your 4th best scorer and a top 3 defender on your team. Whether because of next year's Jalen Green or last year's Lebron, the other teams best defender will never be switched onto Reaves. His shots would be open here and I'm betting a guy of his character and new playoffs experience will be fine taking slightly more difficult shots next season. - Do not compare him to players who don't play defense. The game is half offense and half defense. 3PT Shooting is part of half of basketball. When Duncan Ferguson shoots his career average on the floor, it is still not anywhere close to the value of Reaves' defense alone nevermind the high quality and fast 15-5-5 he chips in. - He can certainly play PG. As mentioned he's done it before the NBA and he's done it in huge pressure filled spurts for the Lakers especially in 4th quarters and playoffs. If you can run PnR and you're capable of driving, shooting, hitting the roll man, the cutter and hitting the corner 3pt shooter you can definitely run almost any offensive set in the NBA. If you're precise and decisive at instantly hitting the open man with the ball, you have the right mindset. He's a TRUE hybrid guard, doing the most important things at each position professionally well. - We're never going to give him the ball all game and tell him to score or kick out only like a Jeremy Lin back in the day. He's a much better defender, passer and 3pt shooter. It's not in the same ballpark. - You and I both know Udoka will love this guys hustle, defensive energy, team commitment, selflessness, safe passing and decisive shooting. It's such a great fit and Udoka could very well develop him further. I think the perfect player comp for him is someone we really don't like: he's the American Manu Ginobili. Reaves has a bit more shooting but a little less finishing in his bag. Passing, effort, fire all there. That's an optimistic but reasonable path for him if you ask me.
