Regardless of where the Lakers’ run through the NBA playoffs ends, it’s impossible not to see that Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura have both set themselves up for massive paydays in restricted free agency this summer.
The Lakers have Bird Rights on both players — meaning they can go over the cap to re-sign them — and also have the ability to match any offer another team throws at either player by virtue of them both being restricted free agents. The team leaked that it planned to keep Hachimura immediately after trading for him, and no less than Jeanie Buss herself is said to be determined to keep Reaves in Los Angeles after the team’s scouting department stole him in undrafted free agency.