As the FIBA World Cup continues and the NBA season is fast approaching, Austin Reaves has gotten a lot of love from the L.A fans. He has gotten so much love that he is getting a mural in Los Angeles, like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James before him.
Reaves was just recently re-signed to a $56 million deal that will keep him in a Lakers uniform for the next four years. The emerging player has also been balling in FIBA World Cup play for the U.S.
While some of the hype has been overdone due to the fact that he plays in a major media market, Reaves has become a lot better player in the last year. He went from a rotational player to a starting player in the league. His 3-point shot and of the dribble game improved which has made him a weapon for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Why is Austin Reaves a fan favorite in L.A?
While you can't really say that his play is undervalued, Reaves came into the league undrafted. He has seemingly replaced Alex Caruso as a Laker starting two-guard, who also went undrafted. His contract has been looking like a steal due to the fact that is around $12 million dollars per year.
As mentioned Reaves is a starting-level player in this league and is worth more than his contract suggests. Reaves couldn't have gotten that much more from the Lakers due to the fact that this was the max they could offer. They could have matched a bigger deal from another team due to having his restricted rights but they could not be the ones to offer the deal.
Regardless, Lakers' fans are clearly happy to have him around for the forseeable future and can't wait to see what he does this year.
