51 points! 41 points! 178 million in 4 years. The older second-round pick made a perfect counterattack, but you have to say goodbye to the Lakers.

When the whistle went off when the Lakers lost to the Trail Blazers 108-122, Austin Reeves walked towards the tunnel with his head down, showing a hint of loneliness that was inconsistent with his performance on the field. He played 39 minutes in this campaign and used an efficient performance of 13 of 23 shots, 3 of 9 three-pointers, and 12 of 14 free throws. He scored 41 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. This is the second time in the four games of the new season that he has scored more than 40 points in a single game. Just the day before, he had shocked the league with an explosive performance of 51 points, allowing everyone to see that this older second-round pick who was once not optimistic has now grown into a unique scoring weapon for the Lakers. In 4 games in the new season, Reeves averaged 35.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 8.5 points per game, with three shooting percentages of 57.3%, 42.9% and 88.2% respectively. Such a report card is enough to make him one of the league's top guards! However, what is certain is that if Reeves continues to play like this, the possibility of him breaking up with the Lakers will only become more and more likely!

Reeves' basketball journey has always been an inspirational example of the NBA's "grassroots counterattack." In the 2021 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old was not optimistic because of his age and not top physical talent. Reeves, who was expected to be selected with the 40th pick in the second round, refused opportunities from other teams. After that, he signed a two-way contract with the Lakers as an undrafted player. But Reeves was also lucky. In his rookie season with the Lakers, he got a lot of opportunities. He started 19 of 61 games, averaging 23.3 minutes per game and posting impressive statistics of 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He treated every opportunity to play as if it was his last. He was always the first to come and the last to leave on the training ground, honing his shooting, breakthrough and organizational skills little by little. The crazy thing is that in his rookie season, he completed the lore against the Mavericks in the Lakers with LeBron James! Although he had considerable success in his rookie season, after the season, Reeves only stayed in my hometown in Arkansas for a full month before hurriedly returning to Los Angeles to invest in special training. During the offseason, he practiced four days a week, three times a day, lifting weights and shooting. He also found a nutritionist and a chef. This summer, Reeves' weight increased from 197 pounds to 209 pounds.

In the 2022-2023 season, Reeves began to emerge. During the period when James and Davis were injured, he was asked to carry the team's offensive banner at the critical moment. He hit the buzzer or key shots at critical moments many times, becoming the "Village Mamba" among Lakers fans. That season, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, shooting 52.9% from the field and 39.8% from three-point range, proving his worth with his efficient performance. The most important thing is that Reeves continued to set personal records in the playoffs this year. On April 17, 2023, against the Grizzlies in an away game, Reeves scored 23 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in a row. In the final quarter, he scored 14 points and 25 assists. On the same day, Reeves scored 23 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists at home; in the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets, Reeves scored 23 points and 8 assists in G1, G2 again scored 22 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists, and in G3, he scored 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists! In this year's playoffs, Reeves scored 20+ points seven times, setting a new high for an undrafted draft pick scoring 20+ points in the second round in a single playoff game. In one fell swoop, he established his position in the Lakers. Although he performed at a quasi-All-Star level in the playoffs, Reeves repaid his kindness. After the two-way contract expired, he happily signed a four-year, 56 million contract with the Lakers, without any contract negotiations with other teams throughout the process.

In the 23-24 season, Reeves was still the most stable member of the Lakers, averaging 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. However, in the playoffs that season, Reeves was not efficient. Although he averaged 17 points per game, his 3-point shooting percentage dropped to 27%! In the 24-25 season, the Lakers ushered in major changes. The thick eyebrows were traded, and the team welcomed the league's top guard Doncic. However, Reeves was not affected by the ball rights. Instead, he broke out again, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Unfortunately, the Lakers were defeated by the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs this season. Reeves' performance in the playoffs was also very average, averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting only 41% and 32% from the field. Therefore, the Lakers' offer was only 4 years and 89.2 million U.S. dollars, but Reeves rejected this contract. According to Reeves's idea, he wanted a 4-year, 120 million U.S. dollar contract like the Heat's Herro. At that time, he may not have thought that in the new season, he would become one of the hottest players in the league, and even have the opportunity to get a huge contract of US$178 million in four years or US$240 million in five years.

In the new season, Reeves has completely completed his transformation from a role player to the core of the team. His scoring methods are becoming more and more comprehensive. He can not only use the rhythm to break through to the inside to complete layups or kills, but also shoot stable three-pointers from the outside. On the organizational end, he can accurately find the openings of his teammates and create scoring opportunities for them. On the defensive end, with his positive attitude and keen judgment, he has completed many steals and has become an important part of the team's defensive system. And Reeves is also the lucky son of the NBA. James missed the game due to injury at the beginning of the season. After two games, Doncic also suffered an injury and is likely to be out for a week. This gives Reeves the opportunity to completely break out! Yesterday against the Kings, he scored 51 points, a career high. He scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and single-handedly influenced the situation of the game. Today, against the Trail Blazers, Reeves scored 41 points again. When the team was in trouble, he stepped forward time and time again to shoulder the offensive responsibility. This performance makes him worthy of a maximum salary contract, and also makes many teams in the league eyeing him.

After the game, the famous basketball commentator Su Qun said: "With his performance, Reeves has received the first maximum salary contract in his life... If he stays with the Lakers, he can sign a five-year contract of US$240 million at most, and if he leaves the Lakers, he can sign a four-year contract of US$178 million.. "The salary of nearly 200 million US dollars is undoubtedly an astronomical figure for a former second-round pick, but judging from his performance in the new season, this contract is extremely cost-effective. Looking at the league, he averages 35+6+8 per game. Players' annual salary is basically more than 40 million US dollars, and Reeves's contract has an average annual salary of only 44.5 million US dollars, which is even lower than some players whose statistics are not as good as his. More importantly, Reeves is only 25 years old and in the middle of his career. In the rising period of his career, he still has a lot of potential and is likely to perform better in the future. For any team that wants to compete for the championship, Reeves is a very attractive recruitment target.

However, despite Reeves' outstanding performance, the Lakers management has two concerns. First, James' retirement time is still unknown. The 0-year-old James is still in good competitive shape. As long as James does not explicitly retire, the Lakers' team building ideas can only revolve around him. However, if Reeves is given a maximum salary contract at this time, the team will have two maximum salary players at the same time, Doncic and Reeves. This will greatly limit the team's subsequent operating space and require James to significantly reduce his salary to stay on the team.

Secondly, the Lakers have already understood that. It is confirmed that the core candidate of the "post-James era" is Doncic, and Reeves' play style has obvious overlap with Doncic. As a ball-handling core, Doncic needs a lot of ball rights to organize offense and complete scoring, and Reeves's outbreak in the new season also relies heavily on ball rights. His performance of 92 points in two games proves his strong strength on the offensive end with the ball, but this also means that if he and Doncic are on the court at the same time, the two will face serious conflicts over the ball. For the Lakers, they need to plan for the future. As the team's selected future core, Doncic will naturally receive more resources, and Reeves' presence may affect the growth of Luka and the construction of the team's tactical system. In this case, the Lakers management has to weigh the pros and cons and consider whether it is worth paying a maximum salary contract for Reeves.

Lakers fans undoubtedly hope that Reeves can stay. Marginal players have grown into the core of the team. Reeves's counterattack story has already deeply moved Lakers fans. His fighting spirit on the court and his responsibility at critical moments have made him a "darling" in the hearts of fans. Whenever Reeves scores in a game, the Staples Center will burst into loud cheers; every time he hits a key shot, fans will wave their flags crazily. For Lakers fans, Reeves is not only a player, but also a symbol of the team's spirit. It is one of the Lakers' hopes for the future. They look forward to Reeves and Doncic helping the Lakers win the championship again.

But the reality is often cruel, and the emotions of the fans cannot control the team's business decisions. As a wealthy team, the Lakers always aim to win the championship. They need to find a balance between current competitiveness and future development. If Reeves is re-signed for 89.2 million, it will naturally be cost-effective. Ran happily agreed, but if Reeves is given a $240 million contract extension, it may obviously create hidden dangers for future lineup reorganization. After weighing the pros and cons, the Lakers will definitely choose to trade Reeves at a suitable time and reorganize the lineup around Doncic. Of course, it would be best if Reeves chooses to "stop enough" and seek a contract with an average salary of about $30 million!