The Los Angeles Lakers are not having the best of seasons this year. The team is reeling from several injuries which have caused their star players to miss several crucial games. The overall performance of the team has fallen off too when compared to their past few seasons. The Lakers are currently placed 10th in the Western Conference with a 35-37 record, as they prepare for a tough few weeks on their road to the playoffs. Amid all this, new reports on a rising new star’s potential departure despite a $50 million contract has shocked the LA fanbase.

LeBron James is out with an injury and there is still no update on his comeback to the team. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has said that they are anticipating King James coming back “at some point” this season. Now with all the problems they are facing, the Lakers could potentially lose their in-form key player, as per recent reports.

Lakers could lose an in-form Austin Reaves

Austin Reaves has seen a meteoric rise in the last few years. He has gone from running errands for Russell Westbrook in 2021 to someone who is carrying the team now. However, NBA insider Shams Charania has warned fans that the Lakers might be on the verge of losing him.

Addressing Reaves’ situation, Charania said, “I don’t know who’s had a better year and a half. He goes undrafted in the ’21 NBA draft and signed two-way with the Lakers before the regular season. He gets converted to a full contract after impressing LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.“

“When you look into free agency this summer, the maximum that the Lakers can offer him is four years and $50 million due to his restricted free agency status. That’s increasingly looking like his marketplace, at least.”

“So when you think about other teams, they can go higher than that. They can give him a poison pill offer,” Charania added.

Charania highlighted the past trends regarding emerging players leaving their team, by pointing out that once they play better than expected at the time of drafting them, they become a wanted asset. Other teams can help make the situation a big cash out for the young ballers, hinting that the same can be the case with Reaves now that he is showing up to work regularly.

He can be eyeing anything from upwards of $ 50 million. Reaves is a restricted free agent and with the amount that might be offered to him by other teams in the league, the Lakers may not be able to match them.

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The impact of Austin Reaves

On Sunday night the Lakers claimed a nail-biting win over the Orlando Magic. The Lakers won 111-105 and the key to their victory was Austin Reaves. Reaves put up a career-high score of 35 points in the game with 6 rebounds and an equal number of assists. The 24-year-old has been an anchor for his team, he has put up 35, 16, and 24 points in his last three games. His being on a good run at a time when every game is crucial for the Lakers franchise is nothing short of a blessing.

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It will be interesting to see this new dose of drama unfold in the coming days. As one of the emerging players, the final call will always be with Reaves.