Ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, it’s no secret that Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves will look to prove himself worthy of the estimated $30-35 million deal he’s hoping to sign next summer.
With the start of training camp right around the corner, coach JJ Redick spoke with members of the press on Thursday about Reaves’ offseason workouts.
Lakers beat reporter Mike Trudell relayed some quotes from the second-year head coach:
“Every day that he’s been in the gym, he’s been the best player in the gym. His body is really good right now. He’s really strong. His burst, his athleticism. It’s evident that he spent a lot of time working on his body this summer.”
Last season, Reaves averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game on 46.0% from the field. Additionally, he averaged a career-high 5.8 assists per game, and 1.1 steals per game.
Throughout the year, Reaves firmly established himself as one of the team’s most reliable late-game scorers, coming up big time and time again when the Lakers needed him most.
Austin Reaves Turned Down Four-Year Deal This Summer
Although Austin Reaves has made it clear that he wants to stay in LA, and the Rob Pelinka-led Lakers’ front office has shown mutual interest in keeping Reaves around long-term, the Arkansas native is eager to test the open market next offseason.
Earlier this summer, Reaves turned down a four-year deal from the Lakers, and according to Dave McMenamin’s write-up of Reaves as part of ESPN’s Top 100 Players in the NBA series, he will opt out of the remaining year of his contract to test free agency next summer:
“Reaves and his representatives turned down a four-year, nearly $90 million contract extension offer from the Lakers in June, setting himself up to test unrestricted free agency next summer and sign a new deal worth well over $100 million.”
The big question, of course, is whether LA will offer Austin Reaves the money he’s looking for, or whether he’ll have to go elsewhere.
NBA Executives Expecting Austin Reaves to Stay in LA
While Austin Reaves’ decision to turn down a four-year deal from the Lakers this summer means he’ll have to prove he’s worth upwards of $30 million this season, according to multiple anonymous NBA executives, the general consensus is that Reaves will stay in LA.
Earlier this summer, ESPN quoted one anonymous exec who believes Reaves will stay in LA, as saying:
“‘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, he role once held by Brunson then Irving in Dallas.”
Of course, before that happens, Reaves will have to prove that he’s a long-term fit alongside Luka Doncic.
LA’s first preseason game is set to take place next Friday, Oct. 3, against the Phoenix Suns, with the Lakers’ 2025-26 regular season slate set to begin on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
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