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The Los Angeles Lakers took some steps in the right direction during the 2024-25 campaign, but they crashed out of the playoffs in the first round when all was said and done. Now, they enter another very important offseason, and while his future isn't the team's biggest concern, the Lakers have some work to do when it comes to Austin Reaves and his contract situation.
Reaves emerged as the crucial No. 3 option behind Luka Doncic and LeBron James down the stretch last season, and it's clear he will be getting a big pay raise in the near future. However, he turned down a four-year, $89.2 million contract offer Los Angeles handed to him earlier this week, although that wasn't much of a surprise. Despite that decision, it sounds like both the Lakers and Reaves have interest in hammering out a new deal in the future.
“Reaves, for his part, declined the Lakers' four-year, $89.2 million offer this week, which sources said came as no surprise,” Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported. “The Lakers made the offer, sources said, understanding that Reaves would turn it down, but the franchise wanted to show its interest in him nonetheless and did not want to send the wrong signal by not offering it. Both sides, sources told ESPN, are motivated to find a deal next summer.”
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Lakers, Austin Reaves still motivated to find common ground in contract talks
Reaves has gradually turned himself into an indispensable piece for Los Angeles, and he's fresh off the best season of his career. In 73 games, Reaves averaged career-highs across the board (20.2 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game) while shooting 46% from the field. With James' career coming to a close, Reaves is the second-most important player on the team behind Doncic when it comes to the Lakers' long-term future.
The good news is that Reaves still has one year left on his deal, and while he does have a player option for the 2026-27 season, there's no doubt he will be declining that. L.A. and Reaves will revisit these talks at some point in the future, and while his decision to decline the aforementioned offer may seem like bad news, there's still a desire from both parties to come to terms on a long-term deal.
