Austin Reaves News Turns Heads After $90 Million Lakers Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Los Angeles Lakers enter the offseason with roster holes to be filled after a disappointing ending to the 2024-25 season. They secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference but suffered an early exit in the playoffs.
Despite failing to achieve their championship goals, the Lakers played some of their best basketball in years, on the back of an offensive trio of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. Reaves was notably impressive during the regular season, posting a career-high 20.2 points per game while chipping in 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds across 73 games, and shot 37.7% from three.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15)Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
In a bid to extend Reaves, the Lakers front office offered a four-year deal in the range of $90 million—the maximum allowable under NBA rules based on his service time. However, Reaves unsurprisingly declined the offer, preferring to bet on himself and aim for a larger deal when he becomes a free agent in 2026 (via The Athletic’s Dan Woike).
Although Reaves has stated repeatedly that he would love to remain in Los Angeles, it appears the Lakers might face some competition for the fourth-year guard next summer, as NBA Insider Chris B. Haynes noted that “there are a lot of rival executives who hold Austin Reaves in high regard.”
“There are a lot of rival executives who hold Austin Reaves in high regard.”@ChrisBHaynes weighs in on Reaves exploring free agency after turning down an initial contract offer from Los Angeles 👀 pic.twitter.com/huxXA3wvrJ
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 30, 2025
The report sparked quick reactions from NBA fans
“Rivals recognise Talent,” one fan wrote.
“And people think Reaves isn’t worth $30 million a year,” another fan added.
“Remember when people were postering that nobody really cared for Reaves?” a fan questioned.
“If you’re angry at Austin Reaves for declining 24 million a year then you haven’t been paying attention to his story. He will always bet on himself,” another fan noted.
“He already said he wants to be a laker for life,” a fan added.
Related: New Report on LeBron James to Mavericks Trade Possibility
Related: Lakers Bracing for Major Loss in NBA Free Agency
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
