Austin Reaves will make a lot more than the $14.9 million he is currently slated to make next season, which is why he will decline it to become an unrestricted free agent. It could come down to the Los Angeles Lakers signing him to a max contract. As HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on Wednesday, if LA tries to low-ball the guard, it could push him to think about going elsewhere.
Ultimately, there’s a strong belief within league circles that if the Lakers offer Reaves close to or the full max, he’ll stay in Los Angeles. However, if the Lakers submit a low-ball offer, Reaves will consider other offers, and the possibility of a sign-and-trade could also emerge.
Of course, that would be a problem in itself, but the larger issue is Luka Dončić, who has made it clear he wants Reaves to stay. The Lakers don't want to make their 27-year-old superstar unhappy. It's not just about that, though, as there is no other player on the market who LA could turn to as an upgrade over Reaves.
Luckily, the Lakers have given every indication that they intend to re-sign Reaves. He has said that he wants to stay in purple and gold, but that doesn't mean LA should try to use it to its advantage by offering him less than what he's worth, which is thought to be at least $40 million annually.
Luka Doncic wants to keep playing with Austin Reaves
Los Angeles got the deal of a lifetime when it landed Dončić at the 2025 deadline, and, understandably, the team's top priority last summer was signing him to an extension. His contract runs through 2029-30, a $57.4 million player option, so, technically speaking, he could decline that in three years to become an unrestricted free agent. The Lakers don't even want to think about that.
Dončić wants to win. He wants to make it back to the NBA Finals, where he was in 2024 with the Mavericks. If the Lakers don't successfully construct a winning roster around him over the next few years, who knows what could happen?
Re-signing Reaves is part of that. He doesn't need the ball to be effective, making him the ideal fit beside Dončić in the backcourt. He shot 40.4% on catch-and-shoot threes this past season (on 3.0 per game), and 32.2% on pull-up threes (on 3.4 per game). He benefits from playing with Luka, too.
It's a partnership that LA needs to continue, even if it means giving Reaves every cent that he is eligible for. If the Lakers have concerns about doing so, they can view it as another investment in Dončić's future with the organization.
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