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The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t guaranteed to retain their core free agents this summer.
LeBron James’ offseason could go a few different ways, with retirement still on the table, a potential return to Los Angeles, or a blockbuster signing elsewhere.
Austin Reaves appears all-in on going where the money is, which could put Los Angeles in a bind if they’re unwilling to offer the Oklahoma product the deal he’s after. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Detroit Pistons pose a legitimate threat to the Lakers when it comes to signing Reaves.
“Detroit, which is believed to be among the suitors for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves if he makes it to unrestricted free agency, is also said to be interested in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Joe,” Amick wrote Friday.
The Pistons could definitely use Reaves’ services, as there were far too many instances in the postseason where opponents had the luxury of keying in on Cade Cunningham and putting ample pressure on Detroit’s role players to pick up the slack.
Unsurprisingly, they failed, which explains why the Pistons had already been linked to multiple elite, high-profile wings (Reaves and Tyler Herro, to name a few).
Reaves is beginning to come into his own in the big leagues, as he’s significantly improved his isolation scoring, pick-and-roll playmaking, and ambidextrous finishing around the rim. The undrafted 6-foot-5 guard averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game, shooting 49.0% from the field and 36.0% from deep in 51 contests.
If the Lakers’ negotiations don’t go as planned, they could lose their second-best offensive contributor to the up-and-coming Pistons this summer.
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