Rumor: Lakers’ Austin Reaves Could Make $30 Million Annually On Next NBA Contract

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves is expected to decline his 2026-27 player option to become an unrestricted NBA free agent next offseason. 

One NBA executive told Tim Bontemps of ESPN that Reaves could make $30 million annually on his next deal. 

Reaves played well for the Lakers last season. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 73 games while shooting 46.0% from the field, 37.7% from beyond the arc and 87.7% from the free-throw line. 

Los Angeles was the third seed in the Western Conference last season. Reaves and Co. lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. The undrafted guard averaged 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 41.1% overall, 31.9% from 3 and 85.7% from the foul line. He played through a serious toe injury.

Reaves has career averages of 14.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists with the Lakers. He’s 27 years old. 

The Lakers signed Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart this offseason. Reaves recruited LaRavia, who played for the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings last season. 

Los Angeles is expected to start Luka Dončić, Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James and Ayton next season. Dončić, who signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers on August 2, recruited Ayton and Smart. 

LeBron becomes an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018. The leading scorer in NBA history will make $52.6 million next season. 

The Lakers won the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble. They haven’t been back to the NBA Finals since. 

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