Home Basketball Lakers’ Key Player Almost Stolen by Two Teams: The Close Call That Could Have Changed LeBron James’ Fate

Lakers’ Key Player Almost Stolen by Two Teams: The Close Call That Could Have Changed LeBron James’ Fate

Basketball — 07/21/2023

The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be in a position to compete for an NBA championship.Because LeBron James will not be around forever, the purple and gold know they cannot afford to waste any more time.

Rob Pelinka built on the great work he did in February by making more moves this offseason, hoping to assemble a team that can help The King win his second ring in Los Angeles.

It took some time because the front office made numerous mistakes in the roster building before putting together a team that can compete. But it was also fortunate not to lose an important player in the open market.

Austin Reaves revealed that he was approached by two other teams before joining the Lakers.

Austin Reaves revealed on ‘ALL THE SMOKE’ with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson that the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs were both interested in signing him as a free agent, but that his desire has always been to stay in Los Angeles:

“I really wanted to stay in LA the entire time.”There were a couple of close calls, but as I previously stated, I really wanted to be in Los Angeles.Los Angeles feels like home to me, so that’s where I wanted to be.”

Austin Reaves claims he turned down a 2021 contract with the Pistons in order to join the Lakers.

“It feels fantastic. As I previously stated, everything comes full circle, and all I needed was an opportunity, which I knew. I was aware of my capabilities. You know, the skill set, the IQ, and all that. So it was really just a matter of my agency putting me in a position to have it all.We could’ve gotten drafted 42nd to Detroit, but we declined to put me in LA for a better spot,” Reaves said of going undrafted in 2021, according to Lakers Nation.

“Basically, we tiered teams to find the best fit for me.” And L.A. was, I believe, number two on the list at the time, with Milwaukee possibly being number one, but they were Tier 1… It was, as I previously stated, a concerted effort to position me for a roster spot.We knew there was a lot of interest in a two-way, so we didn’t have to push too hard. Everything in the draft up to and including 42 would have been a two-way agreement. So we didn’t have to press, and I also didn’t have to hear my name called. Naturally, I wanted to, but it was all about the long game.”