With the deadline for most extensions coming up on Monday, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps teamed up to tackle a breakdown of what is transpiring around the league for the major eligible players. In doing so, Windhorst turned himself into captain obvious when discussing Austin Reaves.
There was never any indication that Reaves would accept an extension from the Los Angeles Lakers off his current contract figure. In referencing his colleague Bobby Marks, Windhorst detailed that an agreement for Reaves would max out at around $89 million over four years off his present deal.
Windhorst wrote, "There is a 0.0% chance Austin Reaves signs a contract extension -- and a 99.9% chance he opts out of his $14.8 million player option for next season. We could say "sources say" here because we did check on it, but it's also a no-brainer."
Reaves has been one of the best value deals in the NBA for a while now, largely outproducing his salary. There would be no reason for the talented offensive guard to turn down an opportunity at a lucrative new contract. That is undoubtedly what Rob Pelinka and company would be on the hook for.
Lakers know paying up for Austin Reaves is simply cost of doing business
Reaves can erase any doubt about deserving that big new contract early in the 2025-26 season. With LeBron James expected to be out until possibly mid-November, the 27-year-old will step in as the second option next to Luka Doncic.
If Reaves produces to the levels he has in the past when his star teammates were absent, his bank account will quickly fill up. Whether it be the Lakers, or a rival team, there is a clear expectation for him to get paid.
It really should end up being the Lakers though. Reaves has expressed his desire to make Los Angeles his long-term home at every opportunity. There is a clear mutual interest between the two sides, and the flight risk here may not actually be real at all.
Still, that is only if the Lakers play their part in the summer of 2026, and it would be genuinely surprising if they didn't.
The 2026 free agency class certainly has a few intriguing names among the group. However, no one really sticks out in a way which would lead anyone to believe Reaves has to relocate as a result.