Did the Lakers Make a Good Decision With Austin Reaves? Would LeBron Request a Sign-and-Trade?

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers · Jun 25, 2026 · 36m

More reaction from the news that Austin Reaves and the Lakers came to an agreement Wednestday that'll keep him in LA for the long term.

Final terms, 4 years, $185 million. It's a lot of money, more than the Lakers likely hoped they'd pay, or maybe even expected to. But with interest heating up (the Pistons being the team most widely reported to be making preparations to free the space required to make an offer) the Lakers needed to make sure they didn't lose him for nothing.

Because whether this contract makes you happy or not, that scenario would have been a total disaster.

Still, it has an…