Lakers guard Austin Reaves essentially picked up where he left off on Monday following a three-game injury absence, registering 24 points, seven assists, and five rebounds across 29 minutes of action in a win over Charlotte. While he has only appeared in eight games so far, Reaves has maintained a scoring average exceeding 30 PPG and is boosting his value in a contract year.
As ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes, Reaves and his camp turned down an extension offer from the Lakers during the summer, since L.A. is currently limited to offering about $87MM over four years. However, the 27-year-old expressed to McMenamin that he’d like to stick with the Lakers long-term and won’t necessarily be looking to extract every last dollar he can when he reaches free agency next summer.
“I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves said. “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.”
Although Reaves has a player option for 2026/27, the expectation is that he’ll decline that option next summer in order to sign a new contract. Based on the NBA’s latest salary cap projections, he’d be eligible for a contract worth up to $240.7MM over five years with the Lakers or a four-year, $178.5MM deal with another team.
As McMenamin outlines, two of Reaves’ “contemporaries” at shooting guard, Tyler Herro and Jordan Poole, are on deals that pay them about 20% of the cap. A comparable contract for Reaves would start at $33MM — with 8% annual raises, that would be worth about $147.8MM over four years or $191.4MM over five.
Of course, with a handful of retooling teams projected to have cap room in 2026, it’s possible a rival suitor will make an aggressive offer that makes life difficult for the Lakers and complicates Reaves’ decision.
“AR’s a stud,” an Eastern Conference team executive told McMenamin. “If I were the Brooklyn Nets, I would throw all the money at him. He has shown when he gets the keys to the engine, he can produce.”
In addition to increasing his on-court production this fall, Reaves is developing a close friendship with Luka Doncic, McMenamin notes. That figures to make him all the more valuable to the Lakers, who are seeking long-term complementary pieces for their franchise player.
“They both realized that they both enjoy talking trash — a lot,” head coach JJ Redick said of his backcourt duo. “And their personalities in that regard are very similar. And so they can create a little bit of chemistry with each other just by being their natural selves.”
According to McMenamin, Redick has also encouraged Reaves to take on more of a leadership role with the team this season, and the former undrafted guard has responded well to that push.
“The biggest thing was him taking a step forward as a leader and recognizing that it’s as much his team as it is LeBron (James)‘ team or Luka’s team,” Redick told ESPN. “And acknowledging that he does have innate, natural leadership skills and being able to tap into those more consistently. I told him, he’s out of excuses. You’re no longer the undrafted guy who’s a young player. You’re one of the (main) guys now, and he’s been very responsive to that.”
Reaves will have a cap hold if $21M. If the Lakers trade Bron (creating a trade exception), they can sign both Ayton and Smart to long contracts, and have enough cap space to sign one or two really good players for $20-35M each, especially if they can trade away Vando and Knecht.
They then can pay Reaves $35-40M starting salary next year, use Bron’s trade exception to get another player or two $25-30M, and still stay under the second apron.
Reaves will resign with the Lakers but its going to be in the $40 million plus range on a 5 year deal. they will keep knecht and Vando because those are not bad contracts. LeBron is the biggest question can they play better or worse with him on the court? I am leaning to he gets traded at trade deadline to cavs for Garland and Ball. Garland gives them a play maker and Reaves can move over to be a shooting guard. ball just a extra pg on 2nd team.
He will l, however, his cap hold will be $21M which will allow the Lakers to sign Ayton, Smart, and have extension room.
Vando and Knecht are relatively cheap, but they eat up precious space under the cap. By getting rid of them the lakers can have $17 million more space under the cap to sign someone else better, AND, have trade exceptions to sign players when they go over the cap.
Vando is the Lakers defense specialist and knecht is their 3 pt specialist so as bench pieces they should stay. They will be getting rid of costly players in the offseason like Vincent Kleber and Rui they will have a lot of money to spend on the bench even with Reaves new contract.
Rui is what 5 Vandos and Knechts combined. Knecht has become unplayable. I think the only reason Teddick is playing him hoping that he can have some trade value.
Vando is too much of a liability on offense. Thiero can replace him for much cheaper. And honestly LaRavia is as good or better than him defensively, and much better offensively.
It’s all about opening up cap space to acquire valuable players without having to send out first round picks.
Kecht can’t play defense is why he drop down in the draft. His only value is 3 pt shooter off teh bench. Its fair to say they can find cheaper options in G league.
la Ravia is better than Vando. Only problem with Vando is he is paid more than he should be. Opening up cap space is trading somebody for little in return that doesn’t cost you next year cap space.
“they can sign both Ayton and Smart to long contracts”
I would be extremely hesitant to sign either of these guys to a long term deal.
They are both playing fantastic. Smart has the highest plus/minus of anyone on the Lakers. His impact in winning doesn’t show up on the stat sheets.
Ayton has been great too. He has been fully engaged on both sides. He is not as much a lob threat than say Gafford, however, in the playoffs other teams took away the lob. I think Aydin’s mid range game off pick and toll will be harder to take away in the playoffs, making him more effective.
Plus, both on defense, and while on the bench he has been fully engaged and been a great teammate. Both things he has been criticized for.
It’s been 10 games. There should be no rush to sign either of them, imo. Smart is over 30 and has poor shooting numbers. And Ayton has done this before: show flashes of great play in order to secure a contract. Then he gives less than 100% effort once he gets it. Personally, I would never sign Ayton to anything longer than a two year deal.
No one says sign them now, which they cannot do anyway. However, at the end of the season they will have the cap space to sign them both and another good player or two with cap space.
Reaves has proven he’s as good as Jeannie thinks. They’ll do what it takes to keep him.
Reminds me of Matthew Dellavedova, Alex Caruso, Matt Ryan.. players that emerged because Lebron took all the cap space
Lakers will have plenty $$ to spend next year. First player I sign is Q Grimes to start at SG.
This year do a three way ——-
Lakers get >>>> Randle, #1 pick (Minny), two 2nd rd picks (Grizzlies)
Grizzlies get >>>> Reaves, Rui, Dillingham
TimberWolves >>>> Ja Morant
That is an atrocious trade for the Lakers. Hard pass.
terrible for the wolves too
If the lakers make that trade the chants at Crypyo will be Fire Robb!!!
Luka and Reaves are the only two players on that whole entire roster worth keeping. LaRavia maybe too. Talk about carrying!