The Los Angeles Lakers surprised many people when they reached the Western Conference Finals this season, and they appear to be committed to bringing back the majority of the team that went on that unexpected run.
Reports have indicated that the Lakers are a lock to re-sign Austin Reaves, who is a restricted free agent. The same is true for Rui Hachimura, which has led to speculation that point guard D’Angelo Russell could be the odd man out.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers are trending toward keeping all three. In addition to matching any offer sheets for Reaves and Hachimura, L.A. is looking to sign Russell to a two-year, $40 million deal with a team option or non-guaranteed second year.
Russell is eligible for a two-year, $67.5 million extension. He probably is not going to get that on the open market, especially since many teams with salary cap space are in rebuild mode. That could make it easier for the Lakers to bring him back.
A former All-Star, Russell may have hurt his value significantly when he struggled in the postseason. He shot a miserable 32.3% from the floor in the Western Conference Finals and was eventually demoted.
If the Lakers bring back Russell, Reaves and Hachimura while also adding another key piece, that is further confirmation that they believe their current LeBron James-led roster is capable of winning a title.
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