NBA free agency is almost here, which means a pivotal time for Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers is closing in.
Reaves and the Lakers just wrapped up a season of fascinating highs and interesting lows.
Reaves, 27, assembled his best season as a pro while the Lakers ripped off the third-best record in the Western Conference.
Now the Lakers want to capitalize on the momentum they captured late in the season before injuries to Reaves and Luka Doncic, and Reaves wants to cash in on a major contract opportunity.
According to NBA insider Tim Bontempts, many NBA executives believe Reaves will remain a Laker this summer, but Reaves will draw significant interest from bidding teams, especially from one in the Eastern Conference.
“One potential bidder to watch this summer, sources said, is the Brooklyn Nets, who will enter the offseason with more than enough salary cap space to accommodate a max-type player,” Bontemps wrote on ESPN.com.
Lakers, Austin Reaves Could Shift League’s Landscape This Summer
GettyAustin Reaves could command $40 million per year if he leaves the Lakers in free agency.
Even before the 2025-26 season began, it was widely expected Reaves would decline his roughly $15 million player-option for the following season.
The 27-year-old Los Angeles star had been outplaying his contract for multiple seasons; he was considered one of the NBA’s best players on a bargain contract.
That’ll all change in a matter of weeks.
Bontemps reports Reaves can ink a five-year deal worth roughly $239 million — but league executives believe his next contract will land below that figure.
“The majority opinion is that Reaves will remain in Los Angeles — and on a massive raise,” Bontempts wrote. “But after playing on one of the best value contracts in the league the past few seasons, what number gets that done? Several scouts and executives predict something in the range of five years, $200 million, but below his five-year max of $239 million, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.”
Should Lakers Fear Losing Star in Free Agency?
GettyLos Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives the ball. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
In today’s NBA market, there are endless possibilities.
The Lakers have expressed desire to build around their core of Doncic, Reaves and James, who is set to enter unrestricted free agency. Where James and the Lakers end up could impact Reaves’ next move, but there is no doubt the Lakers would rather lose James than Reaves, who is roughly Doncic’s age and viewed as an ideal second-option.
But if Reaves is dead centered on earning the most lucrative contract, that’s where another team like the Nets could be more enticing.
As long as Reaves is a Laker, he won’t earn the most money and won’t possess the “best player on the team” status because of Doncic. But if Reaves leaves for Brooklyn, he’ll likely earn considerably more money while getting to be the face of a team. Those perks are enormously attractive for a lot of players.
Reaves recently told TMZ Sports that he would like to “run it back” with Doncic and James on the Lakers, but that can also be viewed as the standard public response players tend to give when discussing their future.
With the Lakers tossed into Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors, they’ll certainly do whatever it takes to avoid losing Reaves for no return. Reaves has been floated as a sign-and-trade source to help the Lakers acquire a marquee name this offseason.
The simplest approach for L.A. is to come to an agreement with Reaves on a new deal and work something out with James for at least one more season.
The trio of Doncic, Reaves and James was streaking at the right time before a series of season-crushing injuries.
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