The Los Angeles Lakers signed Luka Doncic this offseason to a three-year, $165 million contract extension that will keep him with the iconic franchise for years to come. If Los Angeles wants to pair Doncic with fellow guard Austin Reaves long-term, the cost will be even higher than originally expected.
Dan Woike of The Athletic spoke to multiple teams and league executives regarding what kind of contract Reaves could land in NBA free agency next summer. Those asked said they expect a multi-year contract worth at least $35 million per season, and two teams believe he’ll receive $40 million AAV offers.
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- Austin Reaves contract (Spotrac): $13.937 million salary (2025-’26), $14.8M player option in 2026
Reaves, who went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, is essentially entering a contract year. Barring a catastrophic injury, NBA teams rightfully assume he’ll decline his $14.898 million player option for the 2026-’27 season and become one of the best young players available in NBA free agency.
Los Angeles has previously tried to sign him to a multi-year extension. Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, Reaves reportedly rejected a four-year offer worth $89.2 million. The $22.3 million average annual value of that proposed contract is almost half of what some in the league believe Reaves could land on the open market.
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- Austin Reaves stats (2024-’25): 20.2 PPGG, 4.5 RPG< 5.8 APG< 1.1 SPG< 46% FG, 37.7% 3PT, 2.7 3PM per game, .144 WS/48
The latest contract projection for Reaves from inside the NBA is also much higher than it was nearly two months ago. While the 27-year-old reportedly greatly prefers to remain in Los Angeles, there has been no indication that he is willing to take a discount to stay with the franchise.
“We didn’t think that the number was the right number. And that’s not saying that we’re gonna go search for a number that’s out of the world…I want to be in L.A. I want to continue to play Virginia Country Club on off days. It’s not like we’re trying to just whack ’em over the head for more money than what I deserve. We just want to get what we feel like I’ve put the work in to get.”
Austin Reaves on contract talks with the Lakers, rejecting offer this offseason (via The Athletic)
Putting that $40 million average annual value (AAV) into perspective via Spotrac, Reaves would be making more than Ja Morant ($38.446 million AAV) and Jalen Brunson ($39.137 million AAV), and he would be right in line with James Harden ($40.75 million AAV). Re-signing him would mean paying just Reaves and Doncic more than $90 million per year at a time when the NBA’s luxury tax threshold is still below $190 million, and the projected NBA salary cap is less than $170 million.
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Despite the exorbitant contract price, the Lakers’ front office hasn’t given any indication to teams around the league that it is willing to move Reaves. With mutual interest between the two sides, there is at least a shot that Los Angeles re-signs him by next summer to a multi-year deal worth at least $35 million per season.
Notably, the Lakers’ front office has positioned itself with enough financial flexibility to afford paying Reaves and Doncic more than $80 million per year combined. As of now, for the 2026-27 season, Doncic ($49.641 million), Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.428 million), and Jake LaRavia ($6 million) are the only players guaranteed to be under contract with the club.
Furthermore, in terms of the luxury tax, the addition of new owner Mark Walter provides the front office with significantly deeper pockets than it had under the Buss family. That will be reflected both in new ownership’s willingness to invest in the roster and to pour more money into the Lakers’ scouting, training and player developments in the years to come.