Reaves' value continues to soar! Teams may offer 2-3 year max contracts to try to poach him from the Lakers.

On March 23 Beijing time, according to salary expert Gozlan, Lakers star Reaves' value continues to soar. This summer, teams may be willing to offer 2-3 year max contracts to try to poach him from the Lakers. The specific report is as follows—

Based on Reaves' performance this season, he is almost certain not to exercise his player option worth $14.9 million. Using the Bird clause, the Lakers can re-sign him with a max contract.

Reaves is having his best season, averaging 23.6 points with a true shooting percentage of 64.6%. In the first two months of the season, he averaged 26 points and 8.6 free throws per game, entering discussions for All-Star and even All-NBA teams. During that period, with Doncic sidelined for a long time, he repeatedly carried the Lakers forward.

Although his usage decreased and Reaves couldn't maintain his early-season explosive level, after returning from injury, he clearly regained his form.

Most importantly, Reaves has proven that he can be the perfect second star in a strong team and often serve as the primary scorer. This is exactly the kind of partner needed alongside Doncic, somewhat similar to Irving alongside him in the Mavericks.

Among all players with player options, Reaves' current value far exceeds the value of his next-year player option.

As a 1.96-meter guard who can both score and organize, he will become one of the most sought-after players in the free-agent market this summer, in the above-mid-level to near-max salary range.

At the start of the offseason, The Third Apron estimated Reaves' value at about 20% of the salary cap, equivalent to the contract the Heat currently gave to Herro. With the rising salary cap, compared to Bridges' four-year, $150 million extension with the Knicks last year, the calculation roughly translates to: five years, $160 million, or four years, $120 million.

But now, Reaves' value continues to soar. His market is approaching the tier of Irving and Harden, about 23% of the salary cap, roughly a five-year, $200 million contract, similar to Bane's current deal.

Not quite the standard 25% max tier, but the gap is small enough for other teams to offer such contracts to try to poach him from the Lakers. Teams like the Clippers, Hawks, or Bulls might offer two- or three-year max deals to snatch him, somewhat similar to the Rockets signing VanVleet from the Raptors in 2023.

For the Lakers, this will affect their salary cap flexibility in the coming years. But if the Lakers manage their salary well this summer, keeping him shouldn't be a problem. It seems even if other teams offer such short-term high-salary deals, the Lakers are likely to match and retain him.

Short-term contracts, though high in annual salary, are easier to handle financially. Moreover, the Lakers cannot easily let Reaves go over money. All their team-building plans and championship pursuits rely on Reaves.