Austin Reaves Set to Decline $14.9M Option, Pursue $30M-A-Year Contract

Austin Reaves is expected to decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026 and pursue a deal worth about $30 million per year. He previously turned down a four-year, $89.2 million extension from the Lakers earlier this offseason. Reaves posted career highs last season with 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 37.7 percent three-point shooting, underpinning his rising free-agent value. Analytics show the Lakers’ defensive rating falls into the 14th percentile when Reaves shares the floor with Dončić and LeBron James, raising questions about his on-court fit. Los Angeles has explored hypothetical trades for defensive 3-and-D wings such as Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis to address both fit and cap flexibility.

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