Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves may be in for a massive payday sooner rather than later.
Reaves, who signed a four-year, $53.8 million extension with the Lakers two summers ago, can and almost certainly will opt out of the deal after this season. And then the real fun should begin for the Arkansas native.
While a big increase for Reaves in his next contract has long been expected — many believed he would get more in the last deal he signed — the bump in pay could be larger than previously anticipated.
“The Athletic spoke with team and league sources who expect Reaves to earn more than $35 million a year on his next deal, with sources from two teams (neither being the Lakers) speculating that he could command more than $40 million a year,” Dan Woike wrote.
Earlier in the offseason, Reaves declined a four-year extension offer from the Lakers worth about $22 million per year, which is the maximum L.A. can put on the table until next summer, when he is eligible for nearly $250 million over five years.
ClutchPoints' Anthony Irwin previously reported that Reaves “could command a contract in the ballpark of $30 to $35 million per year” and that “he and the Lakers would like to continue their relationship for the foreseeable future,” although that depends on a few different factors.
Firstly, on the court, Reaves has proven to be a talented scorer and playmaker, but with the trade for Luka Doncic in February, the Lakers have another player who fits that billing to an even greater degree. Additionally, neither Doncic nor Reaves is considered particularly adept or consistent defensively, which could prove to be problematic.
Regardless of the on-court fit, there will likely be some trepidation within Lakers president Rob Pelinka about giving Reaves upwards of $40 million per year. Doncic, who inked a three-year, $165 million extension with the team in August, will take up around $50 million or more of the Lakers' cap space for the foreseeable future.
The Lakers are set to open their season on Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
