DHJ Quick Take: Reaves’ Public Recruiting of LeBron
- Desire for Return: Austin Reaves publicly expressed to TMZ Sports his strong desire for LeBron James to return to the Los Angeles Lakers next season.
- Shared Free Agency: Both players are hitting the market this summer; the 41-year-old James enters unrestricted free agency, while Reaves is expected to decline his player option to become a free agent as well.
- Lakers Priority: Despite Reaves hitting the market, league insiders widely expect the Lakers to successfully re-sign the standout shooting guard to secure him as a foundational piece.
- LeBron’s Primary Options: If James decides against retirement, league insiders widely expect the sports legend to either re-sign with the Lakers or return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third stint.
Austin Reaves told TMZ Sports that he wants LeBron James to return to the Los Angeles Lakers.
James, 41, becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason for the first time since 2018.
Reaves is expected to decline his player option for next season and become a free agent this summer as well, but the prevailing thought in league circles is that the Lakers will re-sign the undrafted shooting guard.
Los Angeles went 53-29 this regular season. The Purple and Gold beat the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs in six games, but they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round in four games.
Reaves missed Games 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Rockets series due to an oblique injury, while Luka Dončić missed the entire playoffs with a hamstring injury.
Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in his fifth season with Los Angeles. He has a close relationship with James, Dončić and Lakers head coach JJ Redick.
James, meanwhile, averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in Year 23. He’s still an elite performer despite being the oldest active player in the NBA.
Insiders who cover the NBA believe that if James doesn’t retire this offseason, he will either re-sign with the Lakers or return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third stint. The future Hall of Famer has also been linked to the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors.
James is a four-time MVP, four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. He’s played for the Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and Lakers and is the all-time leader in points, field goals, games and minutes.
Arguably the greatest player in NBA history, James joined the Lakers in the summer of 2018 and guided the franchise to the 2020 championship. Before his arrival, Los Angeles hadn’t made the playoffs since 2013.
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