The Los Angeles Lakers may have found a possible pathway to keeping their core together — and it could begin with Austin Reaves taking less than expected.
Speaking on ESPN’s NBA Today, Lakers insider Dave McMenamin suggested Reaves’ loyalty to the franchise could lead to a discounted contract extension this offseason, a move that could also influence LeBron James to potentially accept a smaller deal as well.
“I do think they have some kind of intrinsic buy-in from Austin to begin with, which could give a bit of a discount,” McMenamin said. “Then maybe you also get LeBron to give some sort of a discount if you know that he’s coming back.”
The comments arrive as the Lakers face a critical offseason after falling behind 3-0 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.
Austin Reaves Contract Could Shape Lakers Offseason
Reaves is eligible to sign a five-year contract worth up to $241 million with the Lakers this summer, while rival teams would be limited to offering approximately four years and $178.5 million.
That financial advantage gives Los Angeles leverage in negotiations, but it also creates a difficult roster-building question for the front office.
McMenamin noted that Reaves’ market value is complicated by the context of playing alongside James and Luka Doncic.
“The context of him as a player is when he has LeBron James and Luka Doncic on the court,” McMenamin said. “When you think about him, it’s not necessarily just as a No. 2 option.”
McMenamin added that rival teams such as the Chicago Bulls or Brooklyn Nets could still complicate negotiations if they present Reaves with a full max-level offer.
Still, Reaves has repeatedly stated publicly that he hopes to finish his career with the Lakers.
That organizational buy-in could become one of the franchise’s most important advantages this summer.
LeBron James Pay Cut Rumors Could Resurface
McMenamin also floated the possibility that a team-friendly deal from Reaves could create momentum toward additional financial flexibility involving James.
The Lakers have long faced pressure to improve roster depth around James, Doncic and Reaves after Oklahoma City exposed several weaknesses during the current playoff series.
“You can’t just have Luka, LeBron and Austin on the court,” McMenamin said. “That wouldn’t be enough in this OKC series. You got to have 10, 11 guys who can play and affect the game.”
James’ contract situation is already one of the NBA’s biggest offseason storylines.
The 41-year-old superstar is expected to continue playing next season, but questions remain about how aggressively the Lakers can reshape the roster financially around him and Doncic.
Austin Reaves Battled Through Injury During Lakers Playoff Run
Reaves’ value to the Lakers became even more apparent during the postseason after he missed nine games because of a Grade 2 oblique strain suffered April 2 against Oklahoma City.
The injury forced Reaves to miss the final five regular-season games and the first four playoff games against the Houston Rockets.
Initial projections placed his recovery timeline between four and six weeks.
Instead, Reaves returned after just four weeks following an aggressive rehab process that included hyperbaric chamber treatment.
He immediately provided a spark off the bench in Game 5 against Houston before later posting a playoff career-high 31 points during the Lakers’ first-round series victory.
Despite battling inconsistency during the Oklahoma City series, Reaves still averaged 18.6 points, 5.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds through five playoff games entering Monday while continuing to shoulder major offensive responsibilities.
During the regular season, Reaves averaged career highs of 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 49% from the field and 36% from 3-point range.
Now, the Lakers must decide just how valuable he is to their long-term championship plans — and whether keeping him could ultimately help convince James to sacrifice financially for one more title run.
Austin Reaves Could Trigger Major Lakers-LeBron Shift This Summer