How Los Angeles Lakers Stole a Star

['Jonah Kubicek', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width', 'Vertical-Align Bottom .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Vertical-Align Middle .Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar Is .Alignleft .Alignright'] Heavy Sports 2025-09-27 21:45:57

One could very easily argue that the Los Angeles Lakers are the luckiest franchise in the NBA. In 2021, they managed to steal Austin Reaves from the Detroit Pistons, and on September 27, 2021, they converted him to a standard contract. The Lakers, however, wanted Reaves, and with a better roster, he was willing to be undrafted if it meant heading to Los Angeles. “So, we didn’t really have to press.”With the Lakers, Reaves was behind Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Avery Bradley in the depth chart. Moving forward, Reaves is slated to be the running mate for Luka Doncic long-term in Los Angeles, so his gamble paid off.