The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most aggressive teams to start free agency.
But they had to be with some of their most important role players on the open market.
Some of the major signings the Lakers made from other teams are Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and Jaxson Hayes.
But the players their fan base wanted to see back are Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers already locked up the first two and completed the sweep by signing Reaves to a four-year deal.
According to Shams Charania, Reaves signed a four-year $56 million deal with the Lakers.
RFA Austin Reaves has agreed to return to the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $56 million Early Bird maximum contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Agents Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry of AMR Agency negotiated the new deal to keep Reaves in L.A. long term.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2023
Most Lakers fans had Reaves at the top of their wishlist.
He had a career year last season and established himself as a solid role player.
Last season Reaves averaged 13.0 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game.
But the playoffs are where he was especially impressive.
In 16 playoff games, Reaves averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds.
Reaves was a restricted free agent this offseason meaning the Lakers could have matched any offer he received.
But the Lakers were able to snag Reaves for what seems like a bargain.
The Lakers have officially brought back their core that led them to the Western Conference Finals last season.
They will be entering the 23-24 season as one of the favorites for the NBA championship.
The success of the Lakers will come down to how healthy they are.
LeBron James is not getting any younger and has been prone to injury over the past few seasons.
The same can be said for Anthony Davis who is no stranger to missing games with injury.
The Lakers will only be able to go as far as their health takes them.
NEXT:
Fans React To Lakers’ Free Agency Moves