(05-18-2023, 12:21 PM)BigDirk41 Wrote: I was reading yesterday that the Lakers can only match 4/50 on Reeves. I do not know if this is accurate, but if it is, he's as good as gone. .
I think it's VERY inaccurate. Who wrote that?
Unless I am missing something, Reaves will be a sure thing for LAL this summer, as a Laker RFA who also has Arenas rights protection (limiting the size of offers that can be made to him). LA can match any offer (if they wish) using the EB rights, and also retain their full MLE.
There is just one caveat, which is that they have other FA's - Russell, Hachimura, and Beasley -- that they might want to keep. So they have to manage total team salary issues. In theory they could just not want to match his offer. But nothing will force them to lose Reaves, if he is their priority.
And they do have lots of room to work with. Before NT MLE, Russell, Beasley, Reaves, and Hachimure they will be about $30M under the cap and about $60M below the tax line, in rough numbers. I'm guessing they let Beasley walk and Reaves is kept. Not sure what else is a priority.
This is all under the assumption that those signing rules haven't changed. I've heard no mention that they have been tinkered with in the new CBA.