Star guard Austin Reaves is performing like a max-level player right now, but he isn’t expecting the Los Angeles Lakers to break the bank for him in free agency.
In an interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Reaves confirmed that although he turned down a four-year, $89 million extension from the Lakers, he’s not expecting a “gigantic” offer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in July 2026.
“I try not to think about it. Honestly. I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves said about his impending free agency.
“Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f—ing gigantic number that don’t make sense. I want to be here, I want to win. I want to do everything that can help this organization be better. So I don’t try to think about those things.”
Austin Reaves Turned Down Extension
Reaves — averaging career-highs in points (30.3), assists (9.0), rebounds (4.6) and made threes (2.9) — could potentially land a max contract with another team in free agency, especially if he continues his production through the 2025-26 season.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Reaves is eligible to sign a five-year, $241 million max deal with the Lakers or a four-year $178.5 million contract with another team. While it makes financial sense to stay put with the Lakers, Reaves has the opportunity to be the first option on another team, similar to how James Harden and Jalen Brunson thrived after leaving the OKC Thunder and Dallas Mavericks, respectively.
Reaves, though, has no issues in remaining the second option behind Luka Doncic.
Austin Reaves Values Loyalty
The 27-year-old guard has made it clear several times that he values loyalty to the Lakers, the franchise that took a chance on him in 2021 after he went undrafted. As such, he now plans to repay the Lakers’ loyalty by spending the prime years of his career in a Purple & Gold uniform, next to Luka Doncic and JJ Redick.
“I’ve always approached it as, do what you have to do to help the team,” Reaves told ESPN. “So, obviously, I’ve taken steps and I’ve gotten better. The coaching staff has put more responsibility on me. But with them doing that to me, it just shows me that that’s what I have to do to help us.
“And obviously things will change when Bron gets back, but it’ll go back to, ‘What can I do to keep this train rolling?’”
Reaves returned from a three-game injury absence in Monday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, helping the Lakers improve to 8-3 for the season. By posting 242 points and 72 assists through his first eight games, Reaves has joined Doncic in making NBA history, per statistician Greg Harvey. Reaves and Doncic are the first pair of teammates to each amass over 200 points and 50 assists through their first seven games of a season. Their exploits have led some to call them the best backcourt in the NBA.
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