Austin Reaves Rumors

Oh No He Didn’t: Jovan Buha on Austin Reaves: "People around the league are penciling him in to make $30+ million this summer whether it's with the Lakers or someone else. I expect it to be with the Lakers...he wants to be a Laker for life"

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Reaves will be a free agent. There is zero chance he is picking up his $14.9 million player option, even if he plans to stay with the Lakers. Reaves reportedly wants to be paid in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year (and Herro is a good comp in a lot of ways).

NBC Sports

Bronny James has been on a strong developmental path since he was selected No. 55 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft. While it was clear from early minutes in the NBA last season that he wasn’t quite ready, he made massive strides in the G League, and the difference between his Summer League showings in 2024 and 2025 proved that completely. Now, the Lakers have an intriguing decision ahead. Their guard rotation is relatively locked in with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent. But injuries happen, and getting through an 82-game season requires more than just four players at the guard position. That is why Lakers assistant Nate McMillan, who recently appeared on “The Sports Shop” with Reese and K-Mac, believes that Bronny might be in line to get real rotational minutes this season.

Lakers Nation

But with Reaves set to hit the open market next summer, just how much will it cost to keep him? And does it make sense for the Lakers to pay him? "I think he will get $30 [million] plus," one executive told ESPN, echoing multiple front office sources who were asked about the next deal Reaves could command. The expectation, from both that executive and others, is that Reaves ultimately will return to Los Angeles, which would cement Reaves' role as the long-term running mate next to Doncic in L.A.'s backcourt -- the role once held by Brunson then Irving in Dallas.

ESPN

LeBron James and son Bronny were noticeably not in attendance at the news conference, but I'm told that LeBron FaceTimed Luka Doncic on Saturday morning to congratulate him on the new deal. Austin Reaves, meanwhile, is currently away in Asia on a promotional sneaker tour for his Rigorer signature shoe.

marcstein.substack.com

But the Lakers won’t rest after securing Doncic. They’ll immediately get to work on improving the roster around him. They’ve already taken steps to preserve long-term cap flexibility in search of his co-star. They probably have a better chance at getting another star this way, given their limited remaining trade assets. They have a clear path to 2026 cap space. They can create $30 million to sign a top free agent while re-signing Austin Reaves to a new contract. That projection includes Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart opting into their respective player options. However, there is no clear-cut star player available in 2026 free agency.

Third Apron

The Lakers are more or less married to their current roster for the next two years, with the biggest factor being LeBron James. They could bring him back on a one-year maximum-level contract in 2026-27 as they wait out their cap space plans. But Doncic and Reaves are the two priorities in their quest for a star. The fascinating aspect of the 2026 cap space possibility is that the Lakers could use Reaves’s small $26.5 million cap hold as a placeholder to maximize their space, then go over the cap to re-sign him. That won’t be the case for 2027 since he’ll already be re-signed. That makes projecting 2027 cap space tricky since it requires an estimate for his salary.

Third Apron

The Lakers still have good shooters on the roster with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura all posting above average numbers from deep. But Shaq believes the Lakers need to add even more shooting, via D.J. Siddiqi of Casinobeats.com: “They have a legitimate big now, got two premier players,” O’Neal said. “I’m still worried about the shooting. It’s a three-point league now. Not guys that can shoot, (I’m talking about) bonafide shooters. Guys that are guaranteed, like JJ Reddick. He was a bonafide shooter. They got the point guard, got the off-guard, got a legitimate center. Their chances are much better now.”

Lakers Nation

Daniel Starkand: Austin Reaves welcomes Jake LaRavia to the Lakers after his successful recruitment pitch:

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Mike Trudell: “I’m pretty versatile on both sides of the ball,” added LaRavia. “Being able to space the floor, playing off guys like LeBron, Luka and Austin. And then defensively just being able to take on that toughest matchup is something that I’ve been growing on as my years have gone on. But I think I’ll fit right in as that 3 and D connector type player on this team. I’m excited to grow and develop here.”

x.com

Trevor Lane: Regarding the report that Austin Reaves doesn't like playing with Luka Doncic, Reaves' agent @AMRAgency had this to say: "Austin has nothing but the utmost respect for Luka and truly enjoys playing alongside him. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false. He’s excited to be on the court with Luka—both now and in the future."

x.com

“Well, we came into the segment talking about LeBron (a wing), Luka Dončić (a wing), and Austin Reaves (a wing). The Lakers still need a center, and we’re in day two of free agency. I spoke to a source familiar with the Lakers’ thinking today—they’re weighing several trade scenarios to try to acquire a center. One of them involves a team that’s likely making another trade. That trade would result in a surplus center, and the Lakers could then step in and approach that team.”

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NBA TV: "There are a lot of rival executives who hold Austin Reaves in high regard." @Chris Haynes weighs in on Reaves exploring free agency after turning down an initial contract offer from Los Angeles

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The Lakers are not making calls gauging Austin Reaves’ trade value, one of the sources said. .... Reaves, who turned down a nearly $90 million extension last week, is viewed as a key piece alongside Luka Doncic, the star the team is building around in the present and future.

New York Times