With September coming to a close, that means that the NBA season is inching closer. It has been an eventful offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers, retaining the core that made the Western Conference Finals while also building upon it.
One of those players that was high on the Lakers’ to-do list was Austin Reaves, who was coming off a strong sophomore season and became a restricted free agent. Shockingly, there was no competitive offer sheet and Reaves re-signed on a four-year, $56 million contract early in the offseason.
The Arkansas native had an eventful offseason with this new deal, releasing his own signature shoe and representing his country in the FIBA World Cup. To cap it all off, Reaves hosted a basketball camp in Los Angeles on Sep. 17 and he reflected on the feeling of giving back to the community, via Sports Central LA:
“Anytime you can come, you know and just be apart of the community and see all the kids that support me, enjoy to watch us as the Lakers, it’s special. I remember being a kid and I really didn’t have the opportunity to meet any professional athletes, so I can see and know the joy that it must to be for them to come and meet me, talk to me, sign stuff, whatever. But, it’s a lot of joy for me to see the joy for them.”
Reaves and his brother hosted three camps back in June in Arkansas, so the guard is starting to build up that reputation of wanting to give back and wanting to make himself available in the community.
It has not taken long for Reaves to become a fan favorite in the short two years he has been in Los Angeles and it is safe to assume that the love from Lakers fans will continue to grow as the years go on.
The Lakers have renewed hope of winning a championship after last February’s trade deadline and this summer’s free agent signings. Reaves’ role with continue to expand with an increased workload on offense, specifically on-ball with LeBron James entering his 21st season.
Lakers officially sign Jarred Vanderbilt to four-year contract extension
When Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka pulled off that three-team trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz in February, Jarred Vanderbilt was one of the pieces coming to L.A. His tenacious defense was key in the playoffs and was vital energy player for the Lakers. Vanderbilt became extension-eligible this month and the two parties were able to agree on a four-year extension to keep him around long term.
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