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Breaking down how Austin Reaves’ max deal impacts the Lakers’ offseason 💰 | Get Up
Breaking down how Austin Reaves’ max deal impacts the Lakers’ offseason 💰 | Get Up
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12:32 · Jun 25, 2026
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He
signs
a
4-year
$185
million
max
contract
to
return
to
the
team.
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0:00
He signs a 4-year $185 million max contract to return to the team.
0:05
It's the richest contract in NBA history for an undrafted head-banded player.
0:10
Now, >> >> the Reeves agreement has no impact on the Lakers cap flexibility this summer,
0:15
which is a wild concept that Bobby's going to break down for us,
0:17
but the team's projected salary space takes into account Reeves' cap hold,
0:23
but that means good news for Laker fans waking up.
0:25
It will not affect the LeBron situation.
0:27
Reeves coming back means at least two of the Lakers big three will be
0:31
back in LA next year,
0:32
and we'll see what happens with arguably the biggest one in LeBron,
0:35
but last season when James, Doncic, and Reeves all played together in a game,
0:39
the Lakers were 20 and nine.
0:41
Smaller sample size, but that's a 690 win percentage would have been fourth best
0:45
in the NBA.
0:46
Brian Austin Reeves goes from believing
0:49
or worrying that he was out in LA to passing out nearly on a
0:53
golf course in relief
0:54
and celebration.
0:54
How do we go from one point to the other?
0:56
>> He gave an interview to The Athletic yesterday where he said he was
0:59
not optimistic.
1:00
Two days ago, he thought he was not going to be a Laker.
1:02
Then he gets a call yesterday.
1:04
He's playing back He's playing golf back home in Arkansas,
1:06
and his agents are telling him, "Austin, they agreed to the max."
1:10
And he falls over.
1:11
He almost fell into the bunker, for crying out loud.
1:13
And so, why did the Lakers do this?
1:15
Why did the Lakers increase their offer to the max?
1:17
Because the Lakers believed
1:18
that when if he got to free agency in a couple of days,
1:21
that he was going to get a max offer, probably from the Detroit Pistons.
1:24
The Detroit Pistons had a bunch of space,
1:26
and they were closing in on deals that were going to create more space,
1:30
including trading Isaiah Stewart,
1:32
which they did last night during the second round of the draft.
1:35
And so, that threat created leverage that got the Lakers to give this contract.
1:39
>> Okay, we're going to get into the Pistons of this
1:41
because it is it is fascinating what they're trying to do.
1:44
Falling short of Austin Reeves, Reeves stays in LA, Bobby.
1:48
The dollars and cents of this,
1:49
I think if you're waking up as a Laker fan, you're like, "Oh, hey,
1:51
we're out on LeBron because we spent so much here on Reeves."
1:54
You're I'm not the case.
1:55
>> I I'm saying that's the And first of all,
1:57
I I appreciate your knowledge of the collective bargaining agreement.
2:00
You're talking cap holds and everything.
2:02
Like you're an expert there.
2:03
I I appreciate that.
2:05
A man of A man of my heart.
2:08
>> >> Don't give me too much credit.
2:09
I'm following your own notes.
2:11
We can go We can take it behind the scenes. >> we'll lay it
2:13
out a little bit of a cap minutiae right now.
2:15
We're projecting the Lakers to have $50 million in cap space.
2:18
That includes There's a $21 million free agent hold for Austin Reaves.
2:24
So, what the Lakers will do is they'll go out and exhaust this room.
2:27
We're going to have to see what happens with LeBron James first,
2:29
and whatever is left is basically going to be used to fill out the
2:33
rest of the roster.
2:34
Once cap space is gone, they will circle back.
2:37
They will sign Austin Reaves, and they will be allowed to exceed the cap.
2:40
But, the James free agency is going to be the most interesting thing that's
2:44
going to happen here
2:45
because they need a center.
2:47
They need some shooting.
2:48
They need an athletic wing.
2:50
There's a lot to do on to-do list.
2:54
>> Yeah, do you know why Bobby is able to support his local high
2:56
school football team so greatly?
2:58
Because of this situation, because of this expertise.
3:02
It's so counterintuitive, and I apologize this is the way it is.
3:06
Every dollar that Austin Reaves gets going forward does not affect the Lakers cap
3:11
space,
3:11
but every dollar that the Lakers pay LeBron reduces the amount of money
3:14
that they can spend on other free agents.
3:16
It's crazy, I know, but it is.
3:18
And so, the Lakers has to come to LeBron and say, "LeBron,
3:21
you may have to take less money
3:23
so that we can build up the team."
3:24
But, they don't have to say that to Austin Reaves,
3:26
and they can make that a accurate statement.
3:28
>> All right.
3:28
I want to get I want to get to Tim
3:29
because you mentioned the Lakers build now moving forward.
3:32
Why, Tim, is this summer
3:34
so pivotal for that for the Lakers now
3:36
that these two pillars are are locked into place?
3:40
>> Because this is the one summer that they get to spend with cap space.
3:45
You know, Austin Reaves is on a cap hold.
3:47
That max contract kicks in next year.
3:50
This is the summer that they look Luka Doncic in the eye and promised,
3:54
"Hey, we're going to have flexibility in the summer of '26.
3:57
We're going to be able to surround you with with talent,
4:01
with a supporting cast essentially."
4:03
This is the one time they've got a chance to spend to upgrade
4:08
that rotation.
4:09
And LeBron James is part of that,
4:13
but he's part of that on a temporary basis.
4:15
He's 41 years old.
4:16
So, they have to get LeBron
4:18
if he's going to be back to take a a salary
4:22
that gives them the opportunity to go out
4:25
and get other players.
4:26
They've got to have length.
4:27
They've got to have athleticism.
4:28
They will have an outstanding offense with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
4:33
You better put elite defensive players around those guys
4:36
if you want a chance to contend for championships.
4:39
They have to do that this summer.
4:40
>> Randy, there's so much nuance based in the situation.
4:43
Like for example, when Kobe was at the end of his career with the
4:46
Lakers,
4:46
they gave him a 2-year contract that was for huge dollars.
4:49
>> Almost $60 million.
4:51
>> Yeah.
4:51
>> And set the franchise >>
4:53
And and they back
4:53
and they probably should do this with LeBron,
4:56
but because they've got cap space, they can't.
4:59
Like I know that this is like why does this make sense?
5:02
So, and if you're LeBron, you're saying, "So,
5:03
you're saying to me
5:04
that I may have to take less money
5:05
because we have cap space?
5:07
And when Kobe was here, when you didn't have cap space,
5:09
you were able to give him more?"
5:11
Like you can understand why he'd come to the table going, "Hey,
5:13
this make it make sense." >> sense.
5:15
>> I'm going to really go into the weeds with the CBA right now.
5:17
And for for Laker fans out there, if I was in the Lakers shoes,
5:20
I would I would not rely on cap space.
5:23
I would basically sign LeBron James to a $30 million contract
5:26
and I'd bring back Luke Kennard
5:27
and I'd bring back Rui Hachimura.
5:29
And then I'd go out
5:29
and get a center in free agency
5:30
and in in the trade market.
5:32
That that's going to be the best option for the Lakers.
5:35
He uh Dave McMenamin wrote they he wants an A-list center.
5:38
You're not finding that in free agency.
5:40
Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren aren't coming here because they're restricted free agents.
5:44
Go out and use your two first-round picks in 31 and 33,
5:48
and then target a center to bring back Mitchell Robinson,
5:51
who has had good moments in New York.
5:53
He's not a full-time center.
5:55
He's not a He's a part-time He's a He's a rotational player.
5:58
>> Getting notes about your NBA champion, Mitchell Robinson?
6:00
>> NBA champion.
6:01
>> Bobby just gave a free consultation
6:03
that would be very valuable to many NBA teams.
6:05
That's what I'm just saying.
6:06
>> Specifically, the Lakers. >> to Los Angeles.
6:08
It's interesting.
6:09
It is noteworthy, and it is ultimately a financially >> >> uh joyous day
6:14
for Austin Reaves. 4 years,
6:16
$185 million max extension, max contract, rather, to return to the Lakers.
6:22
The richest contract in NBA history for an undrafted player.
6:26
Think of the headband budget now.
6:27
The Reaves agreement has no impact on the Lakers cap flexibility this summer
6:31
as the team's projected salary space takes into account Reaves's cap hold.
6:37
That's the language of Bobby Marks.
6:39
We're going to get to him in a moment.
6:40
Reaves coming back means at least two of the Lakers big three will be
6:43
back in LA next year.
6:45
And we're going to see what happens with arguably the biggest one in LeBron
6:48
James.
6:48
But last season, when James, Doncic, and Reaves all played together,
6:52
a smaller sample size, but the Lakers were 20 and nine.
6:55
It's a.690 win percentage
6:57
that would have been the fourth best in the NBA
6:59
if you extrapolate that out across 82 games.
7:02
Extrapolate may be a word that piques your interest.
7:04
How did Austin Reaves go, Windy,
7:07
from believing that he was out in LA to I We have the video
7:10
of him on a golf course in Arkansas uh laying on the ground enjoying
7:15
relief. >> 2 days ago,
7:16
the Lakers and Austin Reaves' camp were pretty far apart in their discussions about
7:21
where his contract would land.
7:23
And then the Lakers yesterday pivoted,
7:24
increasing their offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% uh per season, okay?
7:30
Or some major percentage like that.
7:33
That's why Austin Reaves fell over because he was hoping for a max contract.
7:37
The phone call came in, "We're giving you the max."
7:39
Why did the Lakers do that?
7:40
I believe the Lakers were convinced
7:42
that there was going to be another team
7:44
that was going to make him an offer in this range
7:46
and he could have walked.
7:47
He was an unrestricted free agent.
7:48
He could have walked on June 30th.
7:50
I believe that that team was the Detroit Pistons.
7:52
There may have been other interest, maybe from the Brooklyn Nets.
7:55
Detroit Pistons were actively in the market yesterday looking to clear salary.
8:00
They have a need for a player like Reeves and quite frankly,
8:02
Austin Reeves would have fit very nicely next to Cade Cunningham.
8:06
That's the type of player with the with the defense behind him where Austin
8:09
Reeves can thrive.
8:10
>> Mhm.
8:10
>> And I think the Lakers saw
8:11
that as a legitimate threat
8:12
and so they increased their offer.
8:14
And we need Bobby to explain why,
8:15
but this salary cap situation is one of the more unique in recent NBA
8:20
history because we've got LeBron here
8:22
and the Lakers cap space.
8:23
>> The word I would use as a cap neophyte is is is counterintuitive.
8:27
It it doesn't make sense on its surface.
8:29
>> Well, you're right.
8:30
I mean, so we've been projecting the Lakers to have roughly $50 million in
8:34
cap space and that includes the Austin Reeves cap hold.
8:38
So, there's $21.
8:38
It's like if you're writing a check out
8:40
and you're not going to cash it into it's counting against your checking account,
8:43
this counts against their books that $21. million Now,
8:47
the big thing is is what's going to happen in free agency now.
8:50
So, you've got the $50 million, you've got LeBron James out there,
8:54
you need to go get a center,
8:55
you need to go get scoring. $50 million in this day
8:58
and age it doesn't get you much.
9:00
So, what happens with LeBron is basically going to be determined how much you
9:04
have left in room to use in free agency
9:06
or potentially in a trade.
9:08
>> Okay, so this summer Tim McMahon,
9:10
uh why is it
9:11
so pivotal for the Lakers build this summer in particular now
9:14
that these two pillars,
9:15
Doncic and Reeves, are locked into place?
9:18
>> Because it's the one summer that they'll have cap space to spend.
9:22
Austin Reeves' contract kicks in.
9:24
Uh it'll be on the books next summer.
9:26
That's the whole decision on LeBron James is how much
9:30
or how little I guess is he willing to take to give the Lakers
9:34
the spinning room to build a long-term supporting cast around their new star duo
9:40
of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
9:42
And when Rob Pelinka
9:43
and and Jeanie Buss
9:45
and the Lakers management is sitting down with Luka,
9:48
discussing the future of the franchise last year before he signs his extension,
9:52
their promise is, "Hey, summer of '26, we're going to have cap space.
9:57
We're going to be able to spend.
9:58
We're going to be able to go out
9:59
and get that defensive-minded long athletic supporting cast uh in place around you."
10:05
And so you you know you you've got to make long-term upgrades.
10:11
And that's going to be a challenge
10:12
while you're keeping what's obviously a short-term star in LeBron James.
10:17
>> We've we've so often through LeBron's career looked at his teams
10:22
as having to build
10:23
and show him why he should return.
10:26
The shoe very much on the other foot now.
10:27
It's Luka Dončić's team.
10:29
What does the decision look like this summer for LeBron?
10:32
>> So the Lakers can go in my view like one of two ways here.
10:36
They can either take LeBron first or LeBron last.
10:39
They can have the $50 million and come to LeBron and say,
10:42
"Let's get you into a contract right now."
10:44
And as Bobby laid out earlier in the show,
10:46
spend basically all their money
10:48
or a big chunk of their money
10:49
and then try to improve their team with trade.
10:52
Or they could go out
10:52
and spend money as much
10:54
as they can hopefully to get wing defenders
10:57
and a center.
10:57
They need a defensive center in the worst way.
10:59
And then come to LeBron and say, "This is what we have left."
11:02
Now, you could make a strong case for either one of those
11:06
if you wanted.
11:07
Historically, the Lakers have always really taken care of making sure their superstars are
11:11
in a good place.
11:12
It is part of the brand.
11:13
It is part of investment for the future.
11:15
If you were going that direction,
11:16
you would probably come to LeBron first
11:18
and give him a contract
11:19
that is that is you know more equitable to what his contribution was.
11:23
>> Mhm.
11:23
>> But if you could argue
11:24
that the the best thing strategically would be to come to LeBron last
11:28
because you'd be bidding against yourself.
11:29
If If offer LeBron $30 million a year,
11:32
you are offering him significantly more than anybody else in the marketplace likely what
11:35
is an unrestricted free agent.
11:37
>> Which course of action would you take if those are the two?
11:40
>> I mean, historically we've learned
11:42
that free agency basically ends in the first couple days.
11:45
By By June By July 2nd, most players are off the board.
11:49
So, if you're going to LeBron James and him saying, "Wait a minute.
11:51
Let me think about this.
11:53
Let me get back to you on July 9th."
11:55
You're going to be left with nothing here.
11:57
So, yes, in an ideal world you would want to go out
12:00
and commit to players.
12:01
They need a center.
12:02
Does Mitchell Robinson or Robert Williams make sense?
12:05
They got to bring back shooting.
12:06
Does Luke Kennard But,
12:08
it would be fascinating if you went back to LeBron James and says,
12:11
"You know what?
12:12
We've got $15 million.
12:14
This is all we've got."
12:16
Then what happens?
12:18
>> You know how short that phone call would be?
12:19
Brian Windhorst, Bobby Marks, Tim McMahon.
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