Lakers Handed $240M Headache as Austin Reaves Lives Up to His Price Tag As New Details Emerge

Austin Reaves has been single-handedly carrying the LA Lakers for the last week in the absence of the team's star players, Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The Lakers' undrafted gem unleashed himself in the past three games, scoring a total of 120 points.

In the absence of James and Doncic, Reaves has proved that he can hang around with the best of the league. He had his career's first 51-point game in a 127-120 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. However, Reaves' recent performances have significantly increased the guard's value in the market.

The Lakers now face a tough decision next year. According to Spotrac, AR15 has a player option in his contract for the 2026-27 season, which he will most likely decline. Reports from June revealed that Reaves had rejected a $89.2 million extension offer from the Purple and Gold.

Heading into the 2026-27 season, Reaves would become an unrestricted free agent if he declines his player option. Many teams would come after him to acquire his services, and the Purple and Gold would have to match them to keep their homegrown star.

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"The belief around the league is that $30 million per year is the absolute baseline for Reaves' services," Tim Bontemps wrote in an article for ESPN on Friday. "Another executive theorized that with Reaves being able to get as much as four years and roughly $180 million from another team in free agency, that a five-year deal for more total dollars could be a good compromise to get a deal done to keep Reaves in L.A."

Another report from Lake Show Life revealed that the Lakers can offer Austin Reaves a five-year $240 million contract, which will keep him in LA till the 2030-31 season. To balance the salary cap and make Reaves that kind of an offer, the Purple and Gold would have to let LeBron James walk away into free agency next summer.

Austin Reaves has displayed strong desire to stay with the Lakers

The LA Lakers gave Austin Reaves the break of a lifetime when they trusted him and gave him an oppurtunity after he went undrafted in the 2021 draft. While there are doubts about Reaves' future in LA, the rising had once clearly displayed his love for the city and the fans.

In June, AR15 sat down for an interview with Charles McCary of K8 News. During one segment, LA's homegrown starboy expressed a strong desire to play out the rest of his career as a Laker.

"I want to be in L.A. I want to play my whole career in L.A. I love it there. I love the fans. Love the weather, love the golf. And obviously the Lakers are the best organization in basketball," He said. "I don't pay attention to [trade rumors]. I keep my head down, work, and I feel like that's one of the reasons I'm where I'm at."

Austin Reaves is averaging 34.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 10.0 assists per game on 52.5% shooting from the field.

Edited by Avi Shravan