Austin Reaves agrees to four-year, $56 million deal with Lakers, per report

Reaves was one of the breakout players of last season

Austin Reaves has agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. The deal represents the largest contract the Lakers could legally give Reaves through Early Bird Rights. There were scenarios in which he could have made more through a restricted free agent offer sheet, but with cap space drying up around the league, he ultimately elected to re-sign with the Lakers. 

Reaves was one of the breakout players of last season, emerging as a viable role player early in the season before growing into their most reliable secondary ball-handler after Russell Westbrook was traded in February. He averaged 16.9 points per game for the Lakers during the postseason to go along with 4.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. He is a strong defender and posted roughly 53-40-86 shooting splits.

Only two years ago, the Lakers landed Reaves as an undrafted free agent. That fact ultimately limited what they could pay him. Because the Lakers signed Reaves to only a two-year deal, they do not have full Bird Rights on him yet. That meant that they could only offer him a free-agent contract worth roughly the mid-level exception this offseason. That limitation ultimately allowed them to retain Reaves for a bargain price.

Reaves grew into a fan-favorite last season, and after the team lost Alex Caruso in free agency two years earlier due to luxury tax concerns, it has been almost unthinkable for them to lose another beloved young player due to finances. Reaves, as a shot-creator, is a good deal more valuable, and he is an essential part of their plan to ease the ball-handling burden on the aging LeBron James moving forward.