Can Lakers Avoid Another Alex Caruso Situation With Austin Reaves' Restricted Free Agency?

Photo: Instagram/Alex Caruso 

According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, the Los Angeles Lakers may be facing another potential Alex Caruso situation with Austin Reaves and his upcoming free agency.

The Lakers famously underpaid Caruso in free agency, offering him less than $15 million over two years, which he refused and instead signed a $37 million deal with the Bulls, drawing criticism to the Lakers' negotiation tactics.

The hope is that the Lakers will not repeat this mistake with Reaves, a versatile player with a high IQ who has been an asset to the team.

Photo: Instagram/Alex Caruso 

Buha believes that Reaves is similar to D'Angelo Russell in that there is mutual interest on both sides.

However, there may be several suitors for Reaves, which could lead to another Caruso-like situation.

If the Lakers try to get too creative with their offer or negotiations, Reaves could potentially leave and sign with another team that would offer him the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

One key difference between Reaves and Caruso is that Reaves is a restricted free agent, meaning the Lakers can match any offers he receives from other teams.

However, it would be in the Lakers' best interest to avoid any potential bad blood that could arise if they don't offer Reaves a fair deal.

Reaves has shown great potential as a player and has already proven to be a valuable asset to the Lakers.

As a versatile player with a high IQ, he could be a great addition to the team in the long run.

However, it's crucial for the Lakers to approach his free agency negotiations with care to avoid repeating past mistakes and potentially losing a valuable player.

Overall, the Lakers must balance their desire to retain Reaves with the need to offer him a fair deal that reflects his value to the team.

Read Next: Austin Reaves Leads Lakers To Crucial Victory Over Magic With Career-High 35 Points

Source: Basketball Forever 

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