Austin Reaves is entering a massive fifth campaign in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2024-25, Reaves posted career-highs across the board, finishing the year with 20.2 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals on 46.0% from the field and 37.7% from three.
Another career year like that and he can set himself up for a big pay day next summer, when he can become an unrestricted free agent by declining a player option worth around $14 million. He is widely expected to do so, especially after the consensus agreed that he has risen amid player ranks.
ESPN’s annual NBA Rank survey combines around 150 analyst projections to rank the 100 best players in the NBA entering the upcoming campaign. Last season, Reaves ranked at No. 72 and this year, he makes the leap into the top 60:
60. Austin Reaves, G, Los Angeles Lakers
2024 NBA Rank: 72
Coming off a season in which he posted career-high averages in points (20.2), rebounds (4.5) and assists (5.8) while dutifully catering his game to first fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis and then James and Luka Doncic on the fly, Reaves is betting on himself for 2025-26. Reaves and his representatives turned down a four-year, nearly $90 million contract extension offer from the Lakers in June, setting himself up to test unrestricted free agency next summer and sign a new deal worth well over $100 million. Not that the Lakers won’t be interested in keeping him then, after signing him as a rookie when he went undrafted in 2021. “He just keeps proving himself over and over and over again,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss told ESPN in April. “We’re just lucky to have him.” — McMenamin
There is an argument to be made for Reaves to be higher. After all, he was one of just 20 players in the NBA last season to average at least 20 points and five assists per game last season. And he was arguably the only player in the league to do that as his team’s third offensive option.
However, NBA Rank is likely valuing defense highly, and Reaves is not seen as a net positive defender. So his strong offensive output is clouded, and keeps him out of the top 50 according to ESPN.
Robert Horry suggests Lakers trade Austin Reaves
There are a lot of question marks surrounding the Lakers roster heading into the 2025-26 season.
The front office did a nice job of addressing their needs this offseason by bringing in Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia.
A majority of their roster is on expiring contracts, however, so how they will handle building around Luka Doncic in the long term still remains to be seen.
One potential long-term piece for the Lakers is guard Austin Reaves, who originally went undrafted but has developed into an All-Star caliber player. As Reaves gets set to enter his fifth season with the team, he has the potential to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time next summer where he will cash in on a large contract.
Because of that and his questionable fit with Doncic considering they are both used to having the ball in their hands and aren’t plus defenders, a lot of people have suggested the Lakers should trade Reaves this summer or at some point before the trade deadline. One person who believes that is Robert Horry, as he explained on his podcast.
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