Austin Reaves has been one of the most exciting developments for the Los Angeles Lakers as the guard is breaking out again.
With LeBron James sidelined to begin the 2025-26 season, Reaves has taken his game to another level. He is averaging 30.3 points, 9.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds a game, doing everything on the floor and powering the Lakers to an 8-3 start.
This past offseason Los Angeles offered Reaves the maximum amount it could, a four-year, $89 million deal that the guard declined. Reaves explained that he and his camp felt it wasn’t the right number though reiterated his desire to stay with the Lakers for the rest of his career.
Reaves’ play to open the season will only help out in contract negotiations this summer but he emphasized that he’s trying not to get the highest dollar amount on his next deal, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“I try not to think about it. Honestly. I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves told ESPN. “Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f—ing gigantic number that don’t make sense. I want to be here, I want to win. I want to do everything that can help this organization be better. So I don’t try to think about those things.”
Reaves also acknowledged that the Lakers’ success will be another factor in how his next contract shakes out:
“At the end of the day, team success is going to help me,” Reaves told ESPN. “[If I] help us, then it will help me in the long haul, when you’re winning.”
At this point, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Reaves will stay with the purple and gold long term. Not only is he a Lakers player development success story, but he’s got a great relationship with Luka Doncic that has already become a fun subplot to the season.
It won’t be official until a deal is signed, but the Lakers understand what they have in Reaves and should do everything they can to ensure he finishes his career in L.A.
JJ Redick believes Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves share common trait
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have developed a fun relationship during their short time together and head coach JJ Redick believes it’s because the two guards enjoy talking trash to each other and opponents.
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