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Lakers guard Austin Reaves is planning to decline his $14.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season and undergo unrestricted free agency.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a good idea now of what they will have to pay Austin Reaves in free agency to keep him. Opposing teams will look to offer a big deal to Reaves, but the Lakers will have the chance to pay him the most money. The question turns to how much the Lakers are comfortable paying Reaves to be part of the long-term future. General Manager reportedly feels comfortable with Reaves as a co-star to Luka Doncic.
However, a recent report from Eric Pincus shed a light on the big financial figure expected this summer:
“Reaves’ representation should and likely will ask for max, making the negotiating range $30 million-$41.3 million. A compromise will be based on the starting salary (perhaps $35 million), number of years (presumably 3-5), raises, and other details such as options, trade bonuses, payment advances, etc.”
The financial number will be in the mid-30-million-dollar range to keep Reaves for the next few years. Other teams will use most of their cap space or get creative to free up money if they value Reaves as the ideal target. The Lakers will likely have to pay over $35 million per year to retain Reaves from other threats.
Austin Reaves Has Surprising Lakers Goal
Every public comment from Reaves about his future sees him making it clear he wants to stay in Los Angeles. Reaves has stated that he will treat it like a business, but he has a strong goal in mind for the future.
This pre-season quote revealed Reaves wants to spend his entire career with the Lakers:
“If you would have told me even three years ago that I was going to have the opportunity to make that money, then I would have jumped on it in a heartbeat. But it’s a business at the end of the day. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be in LA. I want to be in LA for my whole career and hopefully we can make that happen.”
The next contract for Reaves could help make that dream a reality to play every game with the Lakers. Reaves will become an even more beloved fan favorite and bigger part of the franchise if he spends his prime years there. Opposing teams like the Utah Jazz will have to work hard to steal him away.
Reaves’ Contract Impacts LeBron’s Future
The Lakers will have to prioritize spending on Reaves, but they still hope to improve their roster during the offseason. Rob Pelinka reportedly wants to add more athletic wing players with strong defensive and shooting skills to build a team around Luka.
Reaves getting that much money will see the Lakers having to choose between re-signing free agents, like Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura, or offering a deal to another free agent with higher upside. This will leave the Lakers with less money to re-sign LeBron James.
A smaller contract or even a veteran’s minimum contract may be needed for James to remain on the roster. LeBron seems accepting of taking a smaller contract to contend for a title in his final season(s), so the Lakers must truly upgrade the roster for that to happen.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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