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Though it seems that Doncic himself influenced the decision to retain Reaves in the summer due to their close relationship, according to Lakers insider Jovan Buha . "I've heard that behind the scenes, that has been reported publicly. Luka wanted Austin back. So if Luka wants Austin back, Austin's gonna be back. If Luka wants Walker Kessler, the Lakers went out and got Walker Kessler. If Luka wants some of these role players or at least signs off on them, they get him," he said on his show, Buha's Block.
Jared Weiss: De'Aaron Fox is listed as questionable (right wrist sprain) for tomorrow's Austin game between the Spurs and Rockets. Keldon Johnson is also questionable after getting stitches for a deep laceration inside his cheek. Tobias Harris remains out with a left calf strain and Jayden Quaintance's return from knee surgery is still unknown.
Law Murray: Pelinka: "Walker Kessler makes Luka better. He makes Austin better and vice versa. So it's just the perfect fit. And, we didn't see any opportunity like that coming down the pike anytime soon."
The booming trading card world fascinated NBA veteran Mo Bamba from the jump when simply serving as a special guest at an Austin card shop a few years ago. The experience hooked the former Texas standout immediately, and the wonderment only grew from there. “People from age 13 to 45 were all in there, and they all commonly shared a joy for the hobby,” Bamba said. “I’ve always seen how kids like to experience their sports heroes, but I didn’t know how directly correlated it was to the sports card industry world. I used to hear about people having a sports card collection or having this vintage Babe Ruth card or having these signed Kobe (Bryant) cards. “Since then, the wheels kind of started spinning about how much I could get involved in it.”
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San Antonio has been the Spurs’ home since 1973, but they are only playing 36 regular-season games in the city this season due to their participation in the Global Games with international superstar Victor Wembanyama. They also added a third game in Austin early in the season, which coincides with a massive sports weekend in the Texas capital.
Bill Oram: "Austin is the one that comes up a lot. And I know that San Antonio is 70 miles away. I am not ignorant to that fact. And I do not think that at face value the Spurs would like to have a team in a sister market. That said, everything is negotiable, and Austin is a robust market that is the economic inverse of Portland. Even though things have slowed slightly in Austin, it has had explosive growth, it has a great sponsorship base, tons of tech money. It would be a huge boon to the NBA."
What is the key to be able to get Luka and Austin open looks with your screens? Kevon Looney: “For Austin, I can set the screens on the ball and off the ball for him. On the pick-and-roll, I can get the angles for them. They’re both scoring guards. So I can hold my screens. That should relieve them some pressure so they can get a clean look. That’s something that I specialize at. So I’m super excited to do it for those guys. Luka is a pick-and-roll master. He’s probably the best in the league at it with finding angles and manipulating the defense. I want to pick his mind and learn from him and how he wants his screens set. With talking with those guys, I’m excited about that part, too. Every time I go to a new team or play with a new guard, I ask them how he likes to play. That’s always the fun part.”
Khobi Price: The Austin Reaves' re-signing is also official. Rob Pelinka: “Austin’s relentless pursuit of improvement, fierce competitiveness and commitment to winning have made him an integral part of our organization. From the moment he joined the Lakers, Austin has embodied the work ethic and selfless approach that define our culture. We’re thrilled to continue building with him as a cornerstone of our team as we pursue our championship goals.”
Run It Back: On a 1-10 scale, Sam Amick thinks the Lakers' chances for bringing back LeBron & Reaves are a 6 👀 "If Austin gets paid... then there's not enough money for LeBron to feel respected, and then I could see him going up the coast to the Warriors."
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Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones wants the world’s sixth-richest person to help pay for the Spurs’ planned $1.3 billion downtown arena. Jones has asked Austin billionaire Michael Dell to consider paying some — if not all — of the city’s pledged $489 million contribution to the project.
Robert Horry: "I think with Reaves, he has to do what is best for him. Sometimes fans forget that. We want him to stay, but at the end of the day, his life. He has to do what is best for him. Let's say some team is going to offer you 180 million and the Lakers are going to offer you 120 million. That is 40 million dollars. I know Austin very well. He is not the sexiest guy so he is not going to get other off-court endorsements, so he has to make up that 40 million."