The pursuit of Austin Reaves that will likely never happen

San Antonio has the money, and it could sure use the help, but some logistical issues stand firmly in the way of any sort of deal.

With bookoos of cap space, a young roster in need of patches, and some recently added incentive to meet the salary floor, the Spurs would make perfect sense as a potential suitor for the services of Austin Reaves. His emergence as a do-it-all combo guard was critical for a Los Angeles Lakers team that badly needed contributions from young players, and the fact he was on national television with regularity the last couple of seasons didn’t exactly hide him from prying eyes.

Reaves is no star, but the guy can play, and he’s set to be paid like it. He can score off the dribble, on movement or out of spot-up situations, he can act as a secondary playmaker when needed, and he fits the ‘scrappy dude’ persona to perfection. On top of that, he’s got an ‘F— you’ attitude, a little flair, and a penchant for hitting big shots. It’s not difficult to understand why he’s an appealing player for front offices and fans alike.

It was suggested to me recently that, if I started selling merchandise, I should include a wet blanket among the shopping options, because apparently I’m good at dousing folks with cold water. Well here I am again, swooping in like a weirdo superhero with hands on hips and a soggy serape clinging to my shoulders.

Unless something changes drastically with the Keldon Johnson or Devin Vassell situations this summer, I can’t imagine San Antonio pursues Reaves. But it has nothing to do with being patient or staying the course. It’s all about logistics, and the particular quagmire his free agency presents.

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'Patience': The word nobody wants to hear right now

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Reaves is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, which means the Lakers will have the ability to match any offer made by another team once the bidding can officially open in July. But because he has not yet been in Los Angeles for three or more consecutive seasons (just two years), the team owns only his early Bird rights, not his full Bird rights. And because of that restriction — without getting too into the CBA minutiae — the Lakers will only be able to offer Reaves a max of around $50 million over four years, a number he has clearly outplayed. They are basically at the mercy of the market, and at this juncture, Reaves is worth more than the amount they’ll be able to offer him up front.

So here is where other teams enter the mix, as does the Gilbert Arenas Provision.

Quick trip down memory lane: Arenas — a second-round draft pick — had a breakout 2003 season as a starter with the Golden State Warriors in his second year as a pro, much like the undrafted Reaves did this season. At the time, the Warriors had to stay within similar early Bird parameters to what the Lakers face today, meaning they could only offer him so much money because they were salary-capped. But outside bidders could drop in and offer whatever their cap space would allow, and if the Dubs couldn’t match, it was just tough (bleep). Well, that’s exactly what the Washington Wizards did with a 6-year, $65-million deal during a time when the salary cap was SIGNIFICANTLY lower than what it is today, and Golden State could do nothing.

This prompted players and owners to come together and institute a provision (informally named after Arenas) that prevented outside teams from extending offers to restricted free agents the incumbent teams could not match in the first and second years, and that’s where we find ourselves today. Los Angeles is limited to offering a starting number at no more than 105 percent of the league-average salary — or, in this case, likely just north of $11 million — which neither the Spurs nor any other interested team will be allowed to surpass in a potential bid. In the end, it’s all just part of a greater effort to give current teams a fair shot at retaining their own players if they’re over the salary cap, because it’s silly to punish organizations for drafting and developing well.

But this is where it gets tricky, and where bidding teams can potentially have an advantage. While the Lakers can only offer Reaves a four-year deal with incremental raises that rounds out around that aforementioned $50 million total, outside teams can come in and max the guy if they so choose. But given the fact those bidders would be limited to that initial ~$11-million number in the first and second years, the third and fourth years of the contract would have to make up the rest of the remaining salary. That would mean a massive spike and potentially huge hit on the back end.

Let’s say San Antonio arrives with a 4-year, $80 million offer — forgetting for a minute the basketball side of things and whether or not a potential bench guy is worth that kind of money. Here’s what that offer sheet would look like:

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(Note: While there is room for small raises between the first and second years, as well as the third and fourth, I’m just going to keep it simple with flat numbers so it’s clear.)

2023-24: $11,000,000
2024-25: $11,000,000
2025-26: $29,000,000
2026-27: $29,000,000

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So, just to paint the picture: As the Spurs are theoretically setting themselves up to pay Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham and potentially Blake Wesley — NOT TO MENTION WEMBY SOON THEREAFTER — they’d also be on the hook for nearly $30 million worth of Reaves stock. That’s a whole lot of money for a guy who does not figure into being a top-three player on the team.

And for anyone who might suggest a significant cap spike in 2025 (as the league signs a new television deal) will cover that kind of money, remember, the new collective bargaining agreement has instituted a smoothing process that will limit annual cap raises to 10 percent of the previous year. For reference, there was a 32-percent spike in 2016 that allowed Kevin Durant to sign with the Warriors. That kind of thing won’t be happening for at least another seven years when CBA negotiations roll around again, so the relief would not be all that substantial.

Also worth noting: In a traditional offer, teams would only have to come up with the necessary space for the first year of a contract in free agency. But because of the giant jump in annual salary between the second and third years, the Arenas Provision stipulates the bidding team must have room for the average salary of all four years. So while it wouldn’t be difficult for the Spurs to keep $20 million free, and while teams only have 24 hours to match under the new CBA, that’s still enough time for things to go sideways should San Antonio tie up that kind of money in a Reaves pursuit only to have the Lakers decide to keep him. Which, barring any unforeseen circumstance (or some crazy team offering a max), they will. Los Angeles can afford to deal with the luxury tax, and more importantly, losing him would be absolutely killer.

In general, free agency has been dying for a while. Players are more incentivized to re-up with their current teams, and organizations have more tools than ever to retain their own guys or go the sign-and-trade route. (By the way, the Lakers can’t really pull off a big sign-and-trade with Reaves either, because they can only sign him for that limited amount in the first place.) But this class is even less exciting than most. There is a bunch of old, expensive players, and some of the few young, exciting players who are on the market are bound by these early Bird restrictions (Reaves, Ayo Dosunmu) or don’t really have a fit in San Antonio anymore (Naz Reid).

If there’s a free-agent chase worth making, the Spurs will take it. But any pursuit that prevents them from using available funds up front isn’t worth the hustle, especially when the cost on the back end would be so punitive for a non-star.

Reaves is a lot of fun in addition to being a very good player, but he ain’t worth all that. And in reality, it would all likely be a big waste of time anyway.

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