Signing Austin Reaves to a four-year, $54 million contract in the summer of 2023 might have been the best move the Los Angeles Lakers have made in over a decade.
While some, with a likely stronger argument, could point to the trade for Luka Doncic being more impactful, the Lakers’ signing of Reaves at roughly $14 million a year could be the best contract in the NBA. However, the guard turned down his player option with Los Angeles next season and will enter free agency with a massive price tag.
It’s fair to say Reaves will garner heavy attention from teams around the league, but what is a good sign for the Lakers is that they have priority when it comes to resigning him this summer.
“Fortunately for the Lakers, Reaves’ five years of experience still put him at the “low max” of 25 percent of the cap, an estimated $42 million for 2026-27,” John Hollinger wrote for The Athletic. “The way he’s played this season (28.1 points, 7.6 assists, eye-popping efficiency), he’s going to have a lot of rich offers.”
The 26-year-old has also stated his intention to stay with the Lakers for as long as possible, and although a new contract is forthcoming, Reaves is playing his way into a max deal, whether Los Angeles is eager to give it to him or not. Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers makes roughly $40 million a year on his current deal, and the latest projection for a new Reaves deal would top that number.
Reaves Set For A Massive Payday In Free Agency
While Reaves and James will be on the open market in the 2026 offseason, the Lakers appear more keen on keeping the younger of the two players. General manager Rob Pelinka has said he wants James to retire in Los Angeles, but as of now, there’s no clear indication of that being the case.
Now switching their focus to Reaves, who is playing the best basketball of his career, the Lakers will need to hand over a decent amount of cap space to keep a guard who continues to elevate his game. But he proved that value particularly well when both James and Doncic missed a few games to start the season.
“What happens in those situations is that L.A. gives the ball to Reaves, and when he gets rep after rep on the ball, he cooks,” Hollinger wrote. “Most notably, Reaves averaged 40 points and 10 assists in a dominant three-game stretch in late October when L.A.’s two iconic stars sat.”
The numbers and ability to be a team’s number one option were clear in his opening stretch of the season. With that, a potential deal next summer could be massive.
“The more likely scenario is for Reaves to decline his player option and become an unrestricted free agent,” Bobby Marks wrote for ESPN. “If he does, Reaves will be eligible to sign for up to five years, $241 million with the Lakers. The Lakers could still have nearly $50 million in cap space even if Reaves signs a new contract.”
Reaves has said in the past that he wants to stay with the Lakers, but he’s hoping to get his fair market value in his next deal.
Potential Concerns For The Lakers
While he is putting up the strongest numbers of his career, there are still questions about Reaves’ fit next to Doncic. While different players for the most part both offer a similar skillset on offense, which, as Hollinger writes, could cause some redundancy for Los Angeles. However, keeping him should take priority, regardless of long-term fit.
“But a full max deal would put the Lakers on the hook for nearly $100 million annually to pay two wing players (Reaves and Dončić) with overlapping offensive roles and equally suspect defensive profiles,” Hollinger added. “That’s perhaps not ideal, but neither is losing Reaves in free agency.”
There are also some question marks on Reaves as a defender. The numbers and efficiency on offense are there, but rarely does the 6’5″ guard make headlines for his defensive efforts. The off-ball numbers also aren’t great, as Hollinger mentioned. A long-term future playing next to Doncic might not be best suited if Reaves has All-NBA hopes while leading his own team.
“While Reaves is a good secondary option in his own right, he’s not particularly scary off the ball (32.6 percent from 3 this season, 36.7 percent career), and as a secondary player, his iffy defense can be more problematic,” he wrote.
But overall, as seen this season and in years past, the offensive upside is what the Lakers should focus on. They don’t appear to have a grasp on what James’ future might look like, and with Doncic now on a new deal, all eyes will turn to Reaves, who could sign the biggest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history.
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