Austin Reaves inks $185 million max contract with Lakers

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/austin-reaves/xlCMu1nk/"]Reaves[/a] was out golfing when he received the phone call that the deal was done. His girlfriend, Jenna, posted a picture of his reaction on Instagram.[/p][embed guid="c8b372c9-4523-409e-89a1-f8dc4ee1f9c1" url="https://x.com/LADEig/status/2069841543264178238?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 28-year-old Arkansas native is one of the better success stories in the NBA. After going undrafted in 2021, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Lakers[/a] took a chance on Reaves and brought him on board. [/p][p]In his rookie season, Reaves posted 7.3 points per game through 61 games (19 starts), averaging 23.2 minutes per game. It would only take one more season for Reaves to be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 13 points per game on a stellar 52% shooting, still a career-high for him. [/p][embed guid="f9e7a2c3-be2d-402c-a031-6203e5b7c761" url="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/2069805085991801101?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]His points per game average would continue to climb each season with the Lakers, eventually coming off a career-best 23.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, along with a 5.5 assist average, just short of last season's 5.8.[/p][p]Reaves had a career game on October 26th when he posted a 51-11 double-double with nine assists on 54% shooting (6-10 3PT).[/p][embed guid="b9405a47-35f8-4f7c-8a68-120f371c0099" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/1982661491670335735?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The now six-year guard only played in 51 games, a career low, after straining both his oblique and his left calf in separate incidents. He hadn't played in fewer than 73 games the previous two seasons. [/p][p]He helped the Lakers reach the second round of the NBA Playoffs, where they got bounced by the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a] in a four-game sweep. [/p]