The Los Angeles Lakers are navigating a challenging period with key players sidelined, yet they’ve managed to secure two victories in their last three outings. A importent catalyst for this resilience has been the stellar play of guard Austin Reaves. Following a remarkable 51-point performance in Sacramento and a 41-point effort against Portland, Reaves delivered the game-winning shot in Minnesota on Wednesday. His stat line in that contest was equally impressive: 28 points and 16 assists. The team’s head coach, speaking to ESPN, lauded Reaves’ clutch ability, stating, That boy will be ready in important moments. I’m not surprised. He has done this many times in his career.
Reaves, now in his fifth season, is off to a blistering start, averaging 34.2 points, 10.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds through his first five games. His efficiency is also noteworthy, shooting 52.5% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc, while leading the league in free throws made per game at 10.4.
While maintaining such an remarkable pace throughout the entire season may be a tall order,Reaves has undoubtedly set the stage for a pivotal year concerning his future contract. He holds a player option for $14.9 million in the 2026-27 season, a figure he is widely expected to decline in pursuit of a more lucrative long-term deal. Currently, he is eligible for an extension, but the maximum he could sign for is $87.4 million over four years.Consequently, Reaves is anticipated to wait untill the 2026 offseason to negotiate a new contract. The prevailing sentiment across the NBA, according to reports, is that Reaves could command an annual salary of at least $30 million, with the potential to surpass that mark significantly. As one executive from a Western Conference team observed, He’s always been a great player, but now he’s in a role where he can have the ball and generate a lot of offense.Someone’s going to pay him a lot of money next summer.
further fueling the speculation, another executive suggested that Reaves’ market value could perhaps reach $180 million over four seasons from a rival team. While this figure might exceed the Lakers’ initial projections for the former undrafted free agent, the franchise possesses the financial flexibility to make a ample offer. Moreover, they could gain an edge by proposing a five-year contract, a duration unavailable to other teams. Despite the external market projections, a reassuring outlook was provided for Lakers faithful: I don’t think he’ll maintain this pace because LeBron will take possessions away from him. But he’s good and the Lakers intend to keep him and he intends to stay, so my guess is the deal will get done.
