Austin Reaves. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Austin Reaves reveals turning down Eastern Conference team on draft night

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 7/20/23

Austin Reaves recently signed a four-year $53.8M deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Over the past two seasons, Reaves has been among the most consistent performers on the Western Conference contenders, despite going undrafted in 2021.

However, during a recent appearance on the "All The Smoke Podcast," Reaves revealed how he and his agent turned down the opportunity to be drafted by the Detroit Pistons with the 42nd pick, choosing to go undrafted instead.

"I could have got drafted 42nd by Detroit, but kind of declined that to put me in LA for a better spot," Reaves said. "Basically, we tiered teams - the best fit for me. And, LA was two on the list, they were tier one. I think Detroit called...It was trying to putting me in a position to get a roster spot...I didn't really have to make any calls either - obviously, I wanted to - but it was all about playing the long game."

Austin Reaves on declining the Detroit Pistons to join the Lakers pic.twitter.com/L4Kuw4m6QT
— Lakers Empire (@LakersEmpire) July 20, 2023

The Lakers are a notoriously competitive team. Reaves and his camp certainly had faith in his ability to crack their rotation. Detroit is a rebuilding roster and likely would have had available playing time up for grabs. Yet, Reaves clearly knew that his skillset wouldn't get with how the Pistons are looking to play. As such, he and his agent held out in what now looks like a masterstroke of a move.

Two years later, Reaves is a fan favorite and has a coach who believes he could become an All-Star in the near future. The Lakers will likely feature Reaves among their primary offensive weapons next season as the third-year guard continues his meteoric rise for the Purple and Gold.

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