Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is on the equivalent of an expiring contract as he enters the 2025-26 season. He technically has two years left on his deal, but the final year is a player option worth about $14.9 million. If this season goes anywhere close to expected for the young guard, he’ll demand far more than that in free agency and decline that option.
Reaves becoming an unrestricted free agent could be a scary proposal for Lakers fans. After all, he has quickly become a fan favorite, significantly improved his play every year and has strong offensive synergy with Lakers star Luka Doncic. But all indications point to Reaves returning to L.A. on a new contract.
And that new deal is expected to be lucrative for the 27-year-old, as some executives believe the average annual value could exceed $30 million, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN:
“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.
This high demand for Reaves is part of the reason that he declined an extension offer from the Lakers this summer. Because of raise limits on extensions, the Lakers couldn’t offer Reaves an average annual salary above around $23 million for a four-year contract. That’s certainly not nothing, but when he has the potential to unlock even more money next season, it becomes an easy choice.
A possible comparison point for Reaves could be Mikal Bridges, who just received a four-year, $150 million extension from the New York Knicks. Bridges and Reaves are very different players, however their value to their franchises is somewhat similar.
Because of Bridges’ defensive acumen, Reaves is unlikely to get quite that much money, but a four-year deal in the ballpark of $120-130 million doesn’t seem out of reach at all.
Austin Reaves expected to stay with Lakers
Austin Reaves made some headlines this offseason when he declined the four-year extension offer by the franchise, although that wasn’t a surprise considering the financial difference of waiting a year.
So while Reaves declining an extension offer from the Lakers got some fans worried about his future in L.A., it is reportedly believed that the future of both him and the franchise are interlocked.
Reaves has made it clear that he wants to be with the Lakers for his whole career and the organization has always expressed belief in him as well, so this seems to be trending towards a long-term partnership.
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