Lakers News: Bill Simmons Considers This LA Player League's Most Intriguing Restricted Free Agent

The Lakers have some big decisions to make this summer.

Most of your Los Angeles Lakers can become free agents during the 2023 offseason this summer.

Starting point guard D'Angelo Russell will be an unrestricted free agent, although his future with LA seems somewhat contingent on how he performs in the playoffs, given his miserable showing in the Lakers' 108-102 overtime win over the team that essentially refused to give him a new deal when they traded him, Minnesota Timberwolves, on Tuesday.

His backup, Dennis Schroder, is also an unrestricted free agent. LA possesses his Non-Bird Rights, meaning the team can sign him to a deal worth 120% of his current $2.6 million veteran's minimum contract next season without impacting its cap. 

Reserve shooting guard Malik Beasley has a $15 million team option for 2022-23. Reserve 3-and-D center Mo Bamba, now out of LA's rotation, non-guaranteed $10.3 million contract that the Lakers could opt not to pick up this summer if it so chooses.

Reserve forward Troy Brown Jr., inked to a veteran's minimum deal, and backup shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV, signed to a $6.5 million contract and now out of the team's rotation, are also both unrestricted free agents.

Backup forward Rui Hachimura and starting shooting guard Austin Reaves may be the team's most intriguing cases, as both are restricted free agents, meaning LA can match any offer tendered to them from rival teams.

Bill Simmons of The Ringer is convinced that Reaves isn't just LA's most interesting restricted free agent, but he's also the entire NBA's.

Austin Reaves is legit good. He’s the most fascinating 2023 restricted free agent for me — the Lakers can offer 4/50.8m but can’t go higher.

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) April 6, 2023

Simmons seems convinced that someone will offer Reaves a deal potentially north of $50.8 million for four years.

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