The future of Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been a topic of discussion over the past couple of weeks. The Lakers greatly value Reaves and view him as a foundational piece for the future, but he also would be easily the team’s best trade piece if they were to make him available, and could bring back an extremely valuable piece should L.A. have any desire to deal him.
A Reaves trade remains highly unlikely and the Lakers are far more focused on keeping him around long term. To that point, the guard is eligible for an extension this summer and of course the Lakers extended that offer.And to the surprise of no one, it was declined.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Reaves formally declined the max contract extension offered by the Lakers as it is significantly lower than what he could make as a free agent:
League sources told The Athletic that Reaves formally declined a max extension with the Lakers this week that would’ve paid him $89.2 million over the next four seasons. He’s about to start the third year of a four-year, $54 million contract he signed as a restricted free agent in 2023 — also the max number he could receive from the Lakers at the time.
He can opt out of that deal and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, when he’s expected to command significantly more than the most lucrative extension the Lakers were allowed to offer this summer.
Because of the contract the Lakers signed Reaves to a couple of summers ago when he was a restricted free agent, the amount of money he can make in an extension is capped. Assuming he opts out next summer, Reaves would be eligible for a five-year, $246.7 million deal from the Lakers, or a four-year, $182.9 million deal from any other team.
Reaves likely won’t get a full max deal, barring another massive leap next season, but it is still a significant difference hence why him declining the contract extension now has nothing to do with his relationship with the franchise, which remains great:
The decision, league sources said, wasn’t a reflection of Reaves and the Lakers’ relationship. Instead, it’s almost a foregone conclusion considering the limitations placed on the amount the Lakers were allowed to offer this week.
Reaves is on one of the biggest bargain contracts in the NBA and which he has greatly outperformed. He has earned the right to get paid what he is worth and next summer he will do just that.
Austin Reaves wants to remain with Lakers his entire career
By all accounts, not only do the Lakers want Austin Reaves around long term, but he also wants to remain with the franchise for the entirety of his career.
“I grew up a Lakers fan, I was a huge Kobe fan and for the Lakers to be the first team that I was involved with on the two-way and then the contract, it’s kind of just the story,” Reaves said in an exclusive interview with Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane. “And fans in L.A. have treated me great ever since Day 1. It feels like a second home to me.”
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