Austin Reaves’ Agent Believes Los Angeles Lakers Fans Should ‘Appreciate’ Reaves More

Reaves averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks in 73 games for the Lakers last season while shooting 46.0% from the field, 37.7% from beyond the arc and 87.7% from the free-throw line. He was the team’s third-leading scorer behind superstars Luka Dončić and LeBron James.

Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. Reaves averaged 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.2 steals and 0.6 blocks in the series while shooting 41.1% overall, 31.9% from 3 and 85.7% from the foul line. He played through a serious toe injury.

Reaves is expected to sign a new contract with the Lakers next offseason, according to NBA insider Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The undrafted guard has a player option for the 2026-27 season. He will likely decline that player option and sign a new deal with the Lakers that could pay him $30 million per year.

Reaves, 27, has career averages of 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Lakers, who have declined multiple trade offers for the Arkansas native. Reaves is expected to start next season alongside Dončić, Rui Hachimura, James and Deandre Ayton.

Austin Reaves will make $13.9 million in 2025-26. He signed a four-year, $53.8 million contract with the Lakers in July 2023.

Los Angeles currently has the sixth-best preseason odds to win the 2026 championship, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Timberwolves. The franchise hasn’t won a title since 2020.

The Lakers reached the conference finals in 2023, but they got swept by the Denver Nuggets.