The San Antonio Spurs are keen to pursue Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves in free agency in 2026, according to ClutchPoints’ Anthony Irwin.
Reaves, who reportedly turned down a four-year, $89 million contract extension from the Lakers this offseason, will attract several suitors as a free agent next year.
“If/when Reaves opts out of his current contract, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent with plenty of interest,” Irwin wrote. League sources say the San Antonio Spurs and other teams are keeping a close eye on Reaves’ free agency.
Irwin added that the Lakers face the legitimate risk of losing Reaves for nothing, due to their reluctance to trade the fifth-year guard for anyone but a “bona fide star.
Doncic-Reaves Backcourt Pairing
The Lakers insider further noted that the franchise internally has concerns about Luka Doncic and Reaves’ defensive challenges in the backcourt, which could lead to the latter being traded. However, the goal is to keep the pair together for the foreseeable future.
The Lakers quickly cut any talks for Reaves short this summer and would only consider trading him unless he was part of the package for a bona fide star,” he wrote.
“That won’t stop teams from asking about him this season and, if for any reason those questions about Reaves and [Luka] Doncic linger, LA will have to take those requests more seriously.
Still, the goal and hope internally for the Lakers is to see Doncic and Reaves be a viable pair moving forward. They’ve already rewarded Doncic with his contract extension and, if this season goes well, would look forward to doing the same for Reaves’ next deal.”
Reaves Could Command $35M Salary
Once Reaves declines his $14.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season, he is expected to command $30-35 million per season as a free agent, reported Irwin.
“In all likelihood, Reaves will turn down his player option after this season and could command a contract in the ballpark of $30 to $35 million per year.
Sources close to the situation say both he and the Lakers would like to continue their relationship for the foreseeable future, but doing so will only make sense if he and Doncic can prove they are a championship-caliber pairing.
In August, Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha suggested that Reaves could command a lot of interest in a 2026 free agency market flush with cap space.
“I think he’s more of a 30-to-35-million-dollar-a-year player. If you look at some of the guys in that range, guys like Immanuel Quickley or Tyler Herro, I think Austin is easily in that class, and actually better than a lot of the guys in that salary range. Obviously, context and leverage are always factors here,” Buha told Spectrum SportsNet.
Jovan Buha on Austin Reaves 👀
(via @SpectrumSN)
With the salary cap increasing 10% in 2025-26 and another 7% in 2026-27, at least six teams are expected to have significant cap space in 2026, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Starting next offseason, ESPN is projecting at least 10 teams — Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland, Utah and Washington — to have significant cap space,” Marks reported on August 14.
Lakers West Rivals Eyeing Austin Reaves in Free Agency: Insider