Lakers guard Austin Reaves is expected to decline his 2026/27 player option and become an unrestricted free agent in a matter of weeks. At that point, he’ll be one of the top players on the market and will likely be seeking a contract that reflects that fact, Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times said during an appearance on Spectrum SportsNet (Twitter video link).
“Based on what I understand, what I keep hearing, Austin wants the max,” Turner said. “Is he willing to give the Lakers a hometown deal? I’m not so sure about that. Maybe he does, but maybe his reps don’t want to.”
Based on the latest salary cap estimate provided by the NBA, a five-year, maximum-salary deal for Reaves with the Lakers would be worth a projected $239.3MM, while a four-year max deal with a rival suitor would be worth $177.4MM.
While Reaves is certainly in line for a lucrative payday this summer, he’d likely need a rival team with cap room, such as the Bulls or Nets, to get involved in the bidding in order to drive his price up to – or near – his maximum. Without another suitor putting pressure on them, the Lakers would regain some leverage in contract negotiations.
Reaves has spoken in the past about wanting to stick with the Lakers, and while Turner is certainly right that the guard’s representatives will seek the best possible offer for their client, that doesn’t mean he’d be obligated to leave Los Angeles if another team is offering a slightly higher annual salary. The 28-year-old would have to determine in that scenario what his priorities are and what makes the most sense for his long-term future.
For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently suggested that a four-year, $155MM offer might be enough for the Lakers to re-sign Reaves, though NBA scouts and executives who spoke to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps believe the former undrafted free agent could do a little better, projecting something in the range of $200MM over five years.
“I’d be pretty surprised if the first year starts with a three instead of a four,” one Eastern Conference scout told Bontemps, “but the Lakers need to keep him, and by all accounts he wants to be there, so I think they make it work.”
Reaves was limited to 51 appearances in 2025/26 for health reasons but put up excellent offensive numbers when he was available, averaging a career-high 23.3 points per game on .490/.360/.871 shooting. He also contributed 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per contest.
