Spurs tried to poach Lakers star, pair him with Victor Wembanyama

At the end of the 2022-23 NBA season, Austin Reaves' future with the Los Angeles Lakers was a significant talking point. After impressing during his rookie and sophomore years, Reaves entered restricted free agency for the first time in his career. Almost instantly, Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office put the word out that they would match any offer sheet Reaves signed. 

According to sources who spoke with Jovan Buha of The Athletic , the San Antonio Spurs had a legitimate interest in acquiring Reaves. 

However, Los Angeles' strong stance on matching any offer sheet meant that San Antonio eventually turned their attention elsewhere.

“The Spurs, fresh off of having drafted No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, considered two offers for Reaves, according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly," Buha reported. "One for the maximum amount of dollars and years (approximately four years, $100 million) and a smaller, shorter structure (three years, $60 million). In both cases, if the Lakers matched the offer, Reaves’ salary would’ve ballooned for Los Angeles in the third and/or fourth year due to the rule informally known as the Arenas provision. Ultimately, L.A.’s insistence that it would match any offer sheet Reaves signed scared off the Spurs and all other potential cap-space suitors.”