Austin Reaves has not played for the Los Angeles Lakers since Christmas Day. Even so, no one is going to quickly forget how good the star guard was playing before his injury. In particular, the Utah Jazz should be a franchise paying close attention.
Kevin O'Connor said, "I think the Utah Jazz are going to be a team that has big interest in Austin Reaves this summer. There are going to be teams that make a big max offer for Reaves, and he's going to have that choice.”
The Jazz would have a multitude of reasons to be in on Reaves during the 2026 free agency period. The thought has circulated in the past, but if any team was going to lure the Lakers guard away from Los Angeles, it would definitely be them.
A bidding war for Austin Reaves is brewing between the Lakers and Jazz
Bringing in Reaves would immediately give the Jazz a difference-maker who could push them firmly towards playoff contention in 2026-27. AR15 would have an opportunity to be the first option on a full-time basis after offering strong hints of his capability during this season and the ones prior.
The belief among many would be a Jalen Brunson-like ascent is possible for the Lakers star. Reaves could be handed the keys to an offense and prove himself as a capable leader in the process.
Utah could give him the top spot, a strong supporting cast, and a massive payday. They also get to boost their own personal gain further in a very underrated way.
Matt John of The J Notes recently reminded everyone about the Jazz owning the Lakers' 2027 first-round pick. Taking Reaves out of Los Angeles positions that draft capital to be much stronger for Utah. It would be a win on all fronts.
The comforting thought here for Lakers fans would be that Reaves and the organization both share a mutual fondness of one another.
The Lakers star guard has stated in the past his preference is to be in a winning situation over one that offers more offensive freedom. Even with the Jazz improving, his current environment is still better poised for high-level competitive play.
Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka both clearly love Reaves too. That much has been made clear via reports from NBA insiders. Primarily, comments from Sam Amick have confirmed both Buss and Pelinka are both members of the fan club.
What may be the end result is the Jazz simply driving the price up for the Lakers. It's not an ideal scenario either, but it is better than Reaves outright walking as an unrestricted free agent.
The long-term future with Luka Doncic in Los Angeles requires a capable co-star for the Slovenian superstar. Right now, Reaves still remains the main option for the Lakers in setting up their franchise player to succeed during his time with the organization.