While Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves future with the team remains uncertain, NBA analyst Zach Lowe predicts he will re-sign, but isn't ruling out a trade in the near future. Reaves' option for the 2026-27 season is worth $14.8 million, which Lowe expects will be voided amid an extension with the Lakers during the offseason.
However, Reaves' extension with the Lakers could still lead to a trade, Lowe predicted, per The Zach Lowe Show.
“People are going to throw fake Austin Reaves trades into the trade machine until February 5th. My bet would be the Lakers keep him. I think here’s my Austin Reaves bet,” Lowe said. “They keep him. They re-sign him over the summer. I’ll be even more specific than that. I bet he takes slightly less than max to stay in LA, even though I think he could get the max other places. That’s just my sort of six-months-out prediction for how this could resolve itself.”
How the Lakers fare in 2025-26 should help them determine whether Reaves can be Luka Doncic's running mate for the future.
“Then, you make a decision for the Lakers. Does Reaves, plus Luka, plus whatever else is here,” Lowe added. “Is that the path in the Luka era, or do we then look to flip Reaves when he has a bigger salary and could net us more stuff?”
The Lakers enter 2026 with a 20-11 record, which is fifth in the Western Conference.
Austin Reaves' expected opt-out could lead to Lakers trade
After turning in his best start to a season of his career, Lakers guard Austin Reaves' calf injury setback has him sidelined for an extended period of time. The Lakers are 4-6 in their last 10 games. Many anticipate Reaves will reach a new deal, either with the team he plays for or elsewhere, as ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel noted, per Clutch Scoops.
“Reaves is just a very interesting scenario that keeps getting brought up when we talk to rival teams around the league. It’s hard to imagine the Lakers will trade him, but he will most likely opt-out and enter free agency as one of the better guys on the market. Teams are going to pursue him. They’re going to be coming at him with max offers. So will the Lakers give him the full max?
“Does he want to be the number two, to Luka Doncic in LA long term? Or will he pull a Jalen Brunson to leave to be a star elsewhere?”
The Lakers will host the Grizzlies on Friday.
