The Utah Jazz did not extend Walker Kessler when they had the chance last summer, mainly because they want to be free agency players And sign him again next summer. All indications are that Kessler will remain a Jazzman, but who specifically would the Jazz target with their maximum cap space? The pretty obvious option is Austin Reaves.
Reaves has blossomed into an All-Star player with the Lakers, which makes his NBA story all the more inspiring, if not enough. David Locke of Locked on Jazz made the case for why Utah should use their cap room on him.
Basically, he discussed how good Reaves is in the pick-and-roll, revealing that Reaves is among the NBA’s very best at running pick-and-rolls, while also saying it’s one of the NBA’s most valuable skills. He also acknowledged that plucking him from Hollywood wouldn’t be easy, especially since it appears the Lakers and LeBron James are on the run.
Not only is Reaves an excellent scorer, but he would also give the Jazz some more versatility. By pairing him with premier Lauri Markkanen, the rising Keyonte George and the promising Ace Bailey, the Jazz suddenly have one of the most dangerous offenses in the league.
Locke also acknowledged that paying him and Kessler would make their cap situation a bit difficult to maneuver. But honestly, that’s a bridge the Jazz will cross if they get that far.
At the very least, the Jazz will force the Lakers to pay
As Locke said, it will be quite a tough task to get Reaves out of LA, but he has shown that he is an absolute building block that is worth every penny. It’s fair to suggest that the Lakers wouldn’t be where they are today if it weren’t for Reaves, as they’ve gone through the first month of the season, give or take, without LeBron.
The Lakers were already aware of the goods they have in Reaves, but if he takes another step toward legitimate All-Star consideration, it should give them more motivation to give him every last dollar he deserves. Even if the Jazz don’t land Reaves, they will certainly remind the Lakers what players like him deserve.
The only mystery is that if the Lakers make Reaves stay, and a betting man would say that’s the most likely outcome, the other free agents in next year’s class aren’t much to brag about. The Jazz will be looking for a game-changer on the free agent market. Reaves fits right in, and while he may not become a Jazzman, fans can expect Utah to go down swinging.
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