Austin Reaves chose the Lakers, and now he cashes in with richest undrafted contract in NBA history

Austin Reaves is the ultimate homegrown success story in a city that loves Hollywood narratives. He went from being a country bumpkin who grew up in Newark, Ark., amid a population of fewer than 2,000 people to becoming a star in a global metropolis.He went from being undrafted in 2021 to agreeing to a four-year, $185 million deal with the Lakers, the richest contract for a player who went undrafted in NBA history. It’s a great story.Things have worked out beautifully for Reaves, who’s a rising star and is genuinely as likeable as he appears on TV.

But it’s fair to ask … can the Lakers win a championship with over $100 million a season going to him and Luka Doncic for the next several years? In other words, was it smart for the Lakers to spend that much money when they desperately need to build out their roster?The answer?Unequivocally yes. The Lakers couldn’t risk losing Reaves for a number of reasons. He’s on the verge of becoming an All-Star-caliber player.When he and Doncic share the court, their chemistry is undeniable. Doncic loves him.

And other teams were willing to pay top dollar for him, including Detroit. Does this mean the Lakers need to spend the rest of the offseason acquiring defenders and shooters around them? Yes.Do they desperately need a rim protector? Yes.

But was spending that type of money on Reaves the right call? Yes. The sticker value is shocking, especially considering Reaves will earn more next season ($41.3 million) than guys like Jalen Brunson ($37.7 million) and Tyrese Maxey ($40.7 million). But the Lakers made the right call.

Not only is Reaves a great player, but he’s the Lakers’ glue. Reaves is coming off a breakout season.He announced his meteoric rise with back-to-back 51- and 41-point performances in the first few games. He helped the Lakers jump to a 15-4 start while LeBron James missed the first 14 games because of sciatica.

He was arguably the best No.2 offensive option in the league. He was...