Report: Pistons Explored Cap-Clearing Moves to Pursue Austin Reaves Before Lakers Deal
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The Los Angeles Lakers secured guard Austin Reaves on a four-year, $185 million contract before free agency opened, eliminating the chance for competing bids.
League insider Marc Stein reported on June 24, 2026, that the Detroit Pistons were “maneuvering to make a real run” at Reaves and were prepared to trade forward Isaiah Stewart to open the necessary salary-cap space.
Detroit’s pursuit addressed a postseason shortcoming: generating offense when All-NBA point guard Cade Cunningham sat or faced heavy defensive attention. Reaves has demonstrated an ability to complement a primary star and assume lead-creator duties when required.
Only a handful of clubs possessed maximum cap room this summer. Two of them—the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls—reduced their flexibility in a trade that sent Julius Randle to Brooklyn and Nic Claxton to Chicago, further limiting Reaves’s potential destinations. Detroit nevertheless sought additional moves to free space.
Reaves’s new contract with Los Angeles starts at $41.3 million in 2026-27 and escalates yearly to $51.2 million. The agreement includes a player option for the fourth season, allowing the guard to revisit free agency as early as 2029.
The Lakers’ swift agreement closed the door on Detroit’s plans and ensured Reaves received a maximum-value deal without testing the open market.
Source: Lakers Nation
