Lakers may have a huge offer for Austin Reaves

The Los Angeles Lakers are stuck in an awkward position with star shooting guard Austin Reaves.

He's on a bargain deal, and he'll likely opt out to fetch a bigger payday, with multiple suitors ready to make a run at him.

That will most likely force the Lakers to overpay to keep him around, with him going from one of the best value deals in the league to an eyebrow-raising contract.

Reports tie him to the Brooklyn Nets on a four-year, $178.5 million offer. That, according to Bleacher Report salary cap expert Eric Pincus, will force the Lakers' hand to one-up them with an even more lucrative deal.

The Lakers can break the bank with Austin Reaves

"If so, the Lakers may choose not to go so high, letting him leave in free agency. Or the team can match or even exceed it, perhaps offering a lower annual number but a five-year deal starting at $35 million, for a total of $203 million," Pincus wrote. 

Pincus added that other teams with enough cap space and a need for a floor-spacing shooting guard could also enter the sweepstakes to put even more pressure on the Lakers:

"Other suitors could get to cap room or try to entice the Lakers into a sign-and-trade, like the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks or Utah Jazz," added Pincus.

On paper, keeping Reaves around should be a no-brainer. He's had huge games without LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and he seems to fit Doncic's timeline and plays well next to him.

However, he also comes with major risks. While he's been pretty healthy for most of his career, having him next to Doncic would give the Lakers one of the worst defensive backcourts in the game. 

Moreover, he's already 28, so he might be closer to a finished product at this point in his career, and the Lakers would be playing top-dollar for a player without any All-NBA or even All-Star selections.

The second apron makes it tougher for teams to stack up big contracts. That said, it looks like the Lakers' hands are pretty much tied in this situation.