Nets Expected To Offer Max Deal To Austin Reaves
The Nets are expected to make a full max offer to Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves in free agency, multiple front office sources tell Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Woike also hears from league sources that the Pistons and Hawks are part of a group of interested teams with the ability to create cap space and get involved in the bidding for Reaves. He adds that other teams could emerge as free agency draws closer.
Based on the NBA’s latest salary cap estimate, 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 another team would be valued at $177.4MM.
Woike notes that the Lakers have an exclusive window to negotiate a new deal with Reaves, starting on the day after the NBA Finals conclude and running through the start of free agency on June 30. Reaves has a relatively small cap hold at $20.9MM, so Woike states that L.A. would like to reach an agreement with him during that time, then delay the formal contract signing until other offseason moves are complete.
Reaves turned out to be a major bargain on the four-year, $53.8MM deal he signed with the Lakers in 2023. That included a $14.9MM player option for next season, which Reaves is certain to decline by the June 29 deadline.
Although he was hampered by injuries, Reaves still managed to put together a productive season in 2025/26, averaging a career-high 23.3 points in 51 games, along with 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 34.5 minutes per night. He suffered a Grade 2 left oblique strain in early April that affected his availability for the playoffs, and he shot just 40.7% from the field and 25.7% from three-point range in six games once he returned.
Reaves prefers to remain with the Lakers, according to Woike. He has developed a strong relationship with Luka Doncic and LeBron James as well as coach JJ Redick and enjoys the lifestyle that he has in L.A. However, Woike states that money is likely to be a very strong factor in the final decision, as Reaves has been undervalued throughout his career.
From the Lakers’ standpoint, they don’t want to lose one of their most valuable assets as Reaves provides a secondary play-maker alongside Doncic while being capable of creating his own shots. A team source told Woike that defensive concerns about lineups with Doncic and Reaves are overstated, and that Reaves has emerged as a strong locker room leader.
Woike adds that the Lakers might be in position to be more frugal in their negotiations with Reaves if the market were different, but they understand there will be a strong demand around the league if he’s permitted to reach free agency.
And-Ones: Teams To Watch, Haugh, Thomas, Korkmaz
While the NBA Finals are reaching their dramatic conclusion, teams around the league are preparing for what comes next. The 2026 offseason has the potential to be an exciting one, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks, who break down 10 teams that could define the summer.
The Celtics will be a team to watch as they look to continue building a contender around a healthy Jayson Tatum. Boston lacks the bigger-dollar contracts needed to bring in top-tier players unless the front office decides to move one of Jaylen Brown or Derrick White. The Celtics will also have to decide if they want to decline Neemias Queta‘s team option and sign him to a long-term deal or pick up the option and figure out his contract by next summer.
The Cavaliers have decisions to make on their high-scoring backcourt, as Donovan Mitchell is extension-eligible and James Harden is up for a new deal at 36 years old. The Pistons, meanwhile, have the choice between continuing to build slowly and steadily or taking a big swing.
The Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, Nuggets, Wolves, Heat, and Thunder round out the rest of the teams that ESPN’s duo believes will help shape the outlook of the offseason.
We have more news and notes from around the basketball world:
- Thomas Haugh was one of the higher-profile prospects to withdraw from this year’s draft class, having opted to go back to Florida. His decision was influenced by new NIL money, though he also appreciates the stability of one more year in college before he embraces the chaos of the NBA lifestyle, according to Mark Long of The Associated Press. “The NBA life is no joke,” Haugh said. “I think my mom didn’t really realize that until she talked to [Grizzlies guard Walter Clayton Jr,‘s] mom a little bit. Like, you can get traded any day of the week. You’re not out there getting dinners with your guys every night or going on fun trips and stuff like that. It’s a job.” He’s hoping that his return will allow the Gators to compete for another national championship.
- After leading Paris Basketball to its third straight Finals in France’s domestic league, German coach Julius Thomas has drawn interest from several NBA teams looking to add to their coaching staffs, Kevin Martorano writes for Sportando, citing a BeBasket report. While there are no specific teams listed, multiple clubs have reportedly approached Thomas with an eye towards next season.
- Former Sixers wing Furkan Korkmaz has reached a deal with Besiktas in his home country of Turkiye, Bugra Uzar reports for Eurohoops. Besiktas’s future is uncertain, as it has a chance to be promoted to the EuroLeague or stay in the BTK EuroCup. Korkmaz helped lead Turkiye to the silver medal in the 2025 EuroBasket tournament and is coming off a season with Tofas in the Turkish league, where he averaged 9.0 points in 19.7 minutes per game. He appeared in 328 NBA regular season games from 2017-24.
Warriors Notes: LeBron, Draft, Lendeborg, Burries
While the idea of LeBron James leaving Los Angeles to play for the Warriors still seems like a long shot, it’s a rumor that won’t die until James commits to another team or someone goes on the record to kill it, Monte Poole writes for NBC Sports Bay Area. Reporting from ESPN and The Stein Line earlier this week suggested that Golden State may be the best outside threat to lure James away from the Lakers.
“I know it seems crazy,” a well-connected league source told Poole. “But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility. It’s mostly up to LeBron.”
The Warriors would have to make significant roster changes or convince the Lakers to accommodate a sign-and-trade in order to offer more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected to be worth about $15MM.
Here’s more out of Golden State:
- In a separate story for NBC Sports Bay Area, Poole argues that it would be in the Warriors’ best long-term interests to find a way to turn this year’s No. 11 overall pick into multiple first-rounders by trading down.
- Following up on the news that Yaxel Lendeborg is among the players visiting the Warriors on Thursday, Anthony Slater of ESPN suggests the Michigan star will have an individual workout and in-person meeting with the front office rather than being part of a group workout. Slater adds, citing sources that Lendeborg has “several fans” in Golden State’s front office.
- Lendeborg certainly won’t be the only potential lottery target who works out for the Warriors. According to Slater, Arizona’s Brayden Burries is expected to be among the prospects who visits the team next week.
Latest On LeBron James’ Upcoming Free Agency
TIME Magazine’s newly minted “Athlete of the Century” and cover star LeBron James is headed for unrestricted free agency in a matter of weeks, and while it remains difficult to project his next move, there’s a widespread belief around the NBA that sticking with the Lakers would be his first choice, according to Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Fischer and Stein lay out, James and his family have become “entrenched” in Los Angeles over the course of his last eight years as a Laker, and L.A. – which holds LeBron’s Bird rights – is in a better position than any other team to pay him a favorable salary, even if that number comes in below the $52.6MM he earned this past season.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show earlier this week (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst agreed that re-signing with the Lakers appears to be the most likely outcome for James. However, both he and The Stein Line duo pointed to the Warriors as the primary threat to watch if things don’t work out in L.A.
Golden State remains “legitimately interested” in adding LeBron to its roster, according to Fischer and Stein, who suggest that the Warriors’ pitch to James may involve a plan for him to commute back and forth to some degree between Los Angeles and the Bay Area so he doesn’t have to move – or be away from – his family.
As Windhorst observes, James is close with Draymond Green and enjoyed collaborating with Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr as part of Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. Still, barring a sign-and-trade agreement or a major roster overhaul, the Warriors would be limited to offering LeBron the mid-level exception, which is projected to start around $15MM.
While a reunion between James and the Cavaliers has been a popular subject of speculation, the geographical considerations of a cross-country move, along with Cleveland’s own financial limitations, make that idea look like a longer shot, per Fischer and Stein. Windhorst agrees with that assessment.
“I know that everybody loves the idea of LeBron in Cleveland, (but) Cleveland needs perimeter defense,” Windhorst said. “It would be a great story. He would definitely help them, (but) Cleveland needs interior toughness and perimeter defense. LeBron can do some of that, but I don’t know.
“Also, that would require LeBron to play for three million bucks. And I don’t want to spend his money — if he wants to play for three million, he can do it. But until I hear from (agent) Rich Paul that LeBron is ready to play for three million, I’m not going to believe it.”
Based on their current payroll situation, the Cavaliers would be limited to offering James a minimum-salary contract, which would technically be worth closer to $4MM, but that doesn’t materially change Windhorst’s point. Cleveland would have to significantly reshape its roster to be in position to make LeBron a competitive offer.
Mitchell Robinson Increasing Value Ahead Of Free Agency?
Mitchell Robinson appears to be increasing his value ahead of unrestricted free agency, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), who reports that the Knicks‘ backup center is expected to receive “significant” external interest this offseason.
Fischer compares Robinson’s situation to that of his former teammate Isaiah Hartenstein in 2024. Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87MM contract with the Thunder that summer, though only the first two seasons were guaranteed (2026/27 is a team option).
It remains to be seen whether Robinson will command that significant of a payday, but sources tell Fischer the Bulls, Hornets, Lakers and Raptors are all considered potential suitors for the 28-year-old big man, who’s a strong, versatile defender and an elite rebounder, particularly on the offensive glass.
Chicago could have up to $56MM in cap room this offseason and Los Angeles could choose to operate under the cap as well. The Hornets and Raptors appear likely to have the full mid-level exception (projected to be worth $64.7MM over four years) available. All four teams are “known to be looking for center upgrades,” according to Fischer.
Robinson’s playing time has been reduced somewhat in the playoffs in part because of his struggles at the charity stripe: he’s only converting 32.0% of his 3.3 free throws per game through 15 postseason appearances (14.1 minutes per contest).
Still, Robinson has been impactful when he’s not being intentionally fouled. He drew praise from head coach Mike Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns for his late-game defense on Victor Wembanyama following New York’s Game 2 victory over San Antonio, Fischer notes, and he stayed pretty healthy throughout 2025/26 (60 regular season games) after missing extended time in recent years due to injuries.
A former second-round pick, Robinson has spent all eight of his NBA seasons to this point with the Knicks, who selected him 36th overall in the 2018 draft. New York holds a 2-0 lead on San Antonio in the NBA Finals, with both victories coming on the road.
The Knicks have Robinson’s Bird rights and there’s technically nothing preventing them from re-signing him, though the team projects to be over the second tax apron next season if it chooses to go that route. Given Robinson’s importance to the Knicks’ success, it would certainly be difficult to replace him.
And-Ones: Westhead, NBA Finals, Mitrou-Long, BAL
Paul Westhead is the 2026 recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced in a press release.
Westhead’s coaching career spanned five decades and a total of 38 seasons. He spent 12 years as a head and assistant coach in the NBA and also coached in the WNBA, NCAA and internationally. He’s the only head coach in basketball history to win both an NBA (with the Lakers in 1980) and a WNBA championship (with the Phoenix Mercury in 2007), per the statement.
Known as a progenitor of the run-and-gun offense, Westhead also spent time as head coach of the Bulls and Nuggets and had an extensive college career with La Salle, Loyola Marymount (Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble era), George Mason, and Oregon.
“We are honored to recognize Paul Westhead as the recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Pistons head coach and NBCA president J.B. Bickerstaff. “Coach Westhead’s impact on the game extends far beyond wins and championships.
“He challenged conventional thinking, introduced ideas that were ahead of their time, and influenced generations of coaches across every level of men’s and women’s basketball. His commitment to innovation, teaching, and the growth of our game has left a lasting mark on our profession, making him truly deserving of this recognition.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Wednesday’s contest between the Spurs and Knicks was the most-watched NBA Finals Game 1 since 2018, when the Warriors and Cavaliers faced off for the fourth straight year, according to ESPN PR (story via Ronce Rajan). Viewership was up 90% compared to last year, when a pair of small market teams (Oklahoma City and Indiana) squared off. Wednesday’s game was also the most-viewed Finals game overall since Game 6 in 2019 (Warriors-Raptors).
- Canadian guard Naz Mitrou-Long has signed a three-year contract with PAOK BC, the Greek team confirmed in a press statement. The 32-year-old spent parts of three NBA seasons with the Jazz and Pacers and has spent the past several years in Europe, playing in Italy, Greece and Lithuania.
- Deputy NBA commissioner Mark Tatum recently spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about the next steps for the Basketball Africa League (BAL). “We are in the process now of transitioning the BAL from a completely open league and model where every year, 12 different teams could participate in the league,” Tatum told Andscape in a phone interview. “In order to qualify now, you have to win your national championship. So, we basically take 12 national champions. And of course, those national champions can change every single year. So, after the first six seasons, we’ve decided that now is the right time to transition the BAL from an open model to more of a franchise model and a semi-closed model.”
2026 NBA Offseason Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
Even though they were quickly dispatched in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, the Lakers entered last summer on a positive note, still riding the high of their mid-season Luka Doncic acquisition. While Doncic spent the offseason getting into peak condition and committing to a multiyear extension with his new team, the front office began working to try to find the types of complementary pieces that would best suit Los Angeles' new franchise player.
Armed with no cap room and a limited number of valuable trade chips ahead of the 2025/26 season, the Lakers' options to fortify their roster were limited. As a result, Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart, each of whom signed a short-term contract that paid in the $5-10MM range, headlined the club's relatively modest list of newcomers.
In the process of making room to fit those players below a first-apron hard cap, L.A. let Dorian Finney-Smith walk in free agency and waived Jordan Goodwin, whose minimum-salary contract was mostly non-guaranteed.
The returns on those roster maneuvers during Doncic's first full season as a Laker were mostly positive. Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick who likes to be a primary scoring option, wasn't a perfect fit for a Lakers team looking for a center willing to do more of the dirty work - including protecting the rim, rebounding, and setting screens - but he eventually bought into his role. Letting Finney-Smith get away to a conference rival earned the club some criticism at the time but ultimately paid off when his recovery from ankle surgery extended well past opening night, leading to a career-worst year in Houston.
LaRavia's three-point shooting dropped off in 2025/26, but he provided solid defense on the wing and was the only Laker to appear in all 82 regular season games. Los Angeles' biggest roster misstep was waiving Goodwin, who had a breakout year for the division-rival Suns. Still, that move was necessary to bring in Smart, whose own bounce-back season on a pretty team-friendly deal mitigated the effects of losing Goodwin.
Perhaps most importantly, the Lakers' "big three" of Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James ultimately thrived together, with James settling into a new role as a third option and letting the two younger guards function as the team's primary offensive weapons. Everything seemed to come together for the Lakers during a 16-2 stretch between the end of February and the end of March, with Doncic, Reaves, and James combining to average over 76 points and 20 assists per game while role players like Ayton, Smart, and Luke Kennard played some of their best basketball of the season.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, that stretch came to an abrupt end on April 2 when both Doncic and Reaves suffered significant muscle strains (a hamstring for Doncic and an oblique for Reaves) in a blowout loss to Oklahoma City. The Lakers still managed to pull out a first-round series win over Houston with Doncic sidelined and James reclaiming his role as the offensive alpha, but without their MVP available, the Lakers couldn't hang with the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals and were on the wrong end of a second-round sweep.
Sixteen months removed from the shocking Doncic blockbuster, a Lakers team looking to reestablish itself as a title contender can no longer get by on the residual good vibes of that deal, but there are more reasons for optimism entering the 2026 offseason. That March run represented a proof of concept for this version of the Lakers, and the front office will be better equipped this summer to pursue upgrades and reshape the roster.
The Lakers' Offseason Plans
James is an all-time great whose jersey will eventually hang from the rafters in Crypto.com Arena, but at age 41, he's no longer the most important part of the Lakers' future. In fact, he's not even their most important free agent of the 2026 offseason from a long-term perspective, given that Reaves is also on track to reach free agency once he formally passes on his $14.9MM player option for 2026/27.
Still, the Lakers' next move with James could largely determine which direction their offseason takes.
Austin Reaves To Seek Max Deal In Free Agency?
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.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Warriors, Curry, Kings
The Lakers enter the offseason with Luka Doncic under contract, as well as a whole lot of questions outside of the Slovenian star.
One of the key inflection points is what comes next for LeBron James. He could re-sign with the team, leave in free agency, or retire. If he does re-sign with the Lakers, how much does he command on his next contract?
Whether there is a right price to be found between the team and the 41-year-old star, who projects to be the third option offensively, is a topic of debate in the recent Los Angeles Times roundtable, with columnist Bill Plaschke believing that the two sides will be at odds in terms of what they’d want in a potential deal, though others disagree.
The panel found consensus in the desire to bring back free agent Austin Reaves and in the need to upgrade the center spot, regardless of whether or not Deandre Ayton picks up his $8.1MM player option for next season.
We have more news and notes from the Pacific Division:
- The Warriors hosted six players in pre-draft workouts on Tuesday, the team announced (via Twitter): Donovan Atwell (Texas Tech), Quadir Copeland (NC State), Josh Dix (Creighton), RJ Godfrey (Clemson), Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia), and Oziyah Sellers (St. John’s). Golden State has the 11th and 54th overall picks in the 2026 draft. Onyenso is the highest-rated player on this list, coming in at 43 on Jeremy Woo’s big board for ESPN due to his impressive shot-blocking ability.
- Stephen Curry‘s new deal with the Chinese shoe company Li-Ning is worth over $400MM over 10 years, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter), who notes that the Warriors‘ star had other companies making competitive offers. Charania previously reported that the deal would allow Curry to sign other athletes to his brand and expand beyond sneakers (Twitter link).
- While the Spurs and Knicks prepare to face off in the Finals, the Kings are stuck with reminders of where they’ve been and where they’re going. The year after Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers to the Finals, the Kings now prepare to watch the coach they fired, Mike Brown, face off against the other point guard they traded, De’Aaron Fox, while they’re stuck trying to navigate the same type of dysfunction that defined the franchise for 20 years, writes Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee (subscriber link).
Stein’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Braun, C. Johnson, Sixers
The Magic‘s decision to hire Sean Sweeney as their next head coach has led to increased speculation about Orlando potentially pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), who says some people around the league already viewed the Magic as a possible suitor for the two-time MVP.
Antetokounmpo has a known affinity for Sweeney, a former Bucks assistant who spent four seasons with the Greek forward in Milwaukee. Stein writes that the two “worked closely” together.
As Stein observes, Sweeney isn’t Antetokounmpo’s only connection to the Magic, as senior advisor John Hammond selected the 31-year-old with the 15th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman still regularly contacts Hammond for advice, Stein reports.
League sources tell Stein that the Heat and Trail Blazers are “already in pursuit” of Antetokounmpo, with Miami considered a top trade contender for the nine-time All-NBA member.
There’s a growing belief around the league that Antetokounmpo’s future will be resolved in the next few weeks after owner Jimmy Haslam set a soft deadline of the NBA draft, Stein adds.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest rumor round-up:
- Rival teams are expecting the Nuggets to make Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson available in trade talks this summer, according to Stein. Denver has said re-signing restricted free agent Peyton Watson will be a priority this offseason and there’s technically nothing preventing the team from doing so while keeping its other higher-priced players, assuming ownership is willing to pay the luxury tax bill. However, the Nuggets project to be well over the second apron if they bring back the same group, with Braun and Johnson among their trade candidates. Johnson’s expiring $23.1MM contract is considered far more appealing than Braun’s five-year, $125MM rookie scale extension, which begins next season, Stein notes.
- One of the reasons the Nuggets prioritized a long-term deal with Braun last offseason is he’s “routinely described” as one of Nikola Jokic‘s favorite teammates, league sources tell Stein. Jokic has finished either first or second in MVP voting each of the past six seasons.
- Vice president of player personnel Prosper Karangwa is expected to remain with the Sixers after the team hired Mike Gansey as its new head of basketball operations, according to Stein, who previously linked Karangwa to the Lakers and Mavericks. Stein reiterates that 76ers assistant GM Jameer Nelson is expected to be promoted to GM and that current GM Elton Brand is considered likely to be offered a new role in Philadelphia.