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via People
Imago
via People
The Los Angeles Lakers are brewing something behind the door. And it has everything to do with Austin Reaves. The 28-year-old won’t technically become a free agent at the end of the season. And that’s a moot point for the star guard. However, a contract extension looms large, and the front office has a different plan.
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Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report shared on Wednesday that AR’s agent is likely going to push for the maximum deal. Setting the potential contract range between $30 M-$41.3 M. The final deal will likely hinge on several factors:
- the starting salary, possibly around $35 million
- the contract length, likely 3 to 5 years
- additional elements like annual raises, trade bonuses, player options, and payment advances.
These details will ultimately shape the compromise within that $30M–$41.3M window. Moreover, LA’s strong performance last month might encourage a long-term deal for Reaves. If they hesitate, the Lakers would likely explore a sign-and-trade, ensuring they gain value from the rising talent rather than risk losing him for nothing.
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If the Lakers don’t commit long-term, they would likely look to move Austin Reaves in a sign-and-trade to avoid losing him for nothing, per @EricPincus
“Seeing how well the Lakers competed over the last month before the recent spate of injuries could motivate a long-term… pic.twitter.com/84q3qyElwg
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) April 8, 2026
Now, recent conversations suggested that the Lakers could offer $239.3 million over five years to Austin Reaves this summer. Well, if AR opts out, he’ll be available to sign with any team. In that case, a different team could likely offer him around $177.4 million. Well, that is a difference of $61.9 million. Moreover, there’s also a gap of about $3.5 million per year. Given the situation, will this difference be enough to bring Reaves back to Los Angeles?
Besides, many other factors will play a role in everything. Especially for the LA Lakers, they have yet to decide on LeBron James’ future. Most experts feel that the 41-year-old will likely walk away as a free agent at the end of the ongoing season. If not, then he could sign back on a cheaper paycheck with the Lakers.
Now, of course, the front office is not in a position to lose both Reaves and James in the same offseason. At the same time, many believe that the Los Angeles Lakers might not turn down any offer coming from AR’s end. Besides, it’s hard to see the 28-year-old turning down that much money. He likely wouldn’t leave unless the Lakers offered less. Or unless he truly believed life would be much better somewhere else.
Meanwhile, the star is out of the regular season with a grade 2 left oblique strain. And it’s safe to say that the drama around it is simply intensifying.
Medical disagreement on Austin Reaves’ season-ending injury
The Lakers and Mavericks are clashing over a medical scan. Coach JJ Redick told reporters on Saturday that Austin Reaves needed two MRIs to confirm a Grade 2 left oblique strain. He blamed the Mavericks’ staff for botching the first scan.
Meanwhile, Reaves got hurt in the first half of the Lakers’ 139–96 loss to the Thunder on Thursday. Surprisingly, he returned to finish the game but hasn’t stepped on the court since, leaving fans wondering about his recovery timeline.
“I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area,” Redick said. “So, not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area.”
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Now, the Mavericks released a statement on Tuesday. They said, “Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time. There was no error in the scan performed.”
As a result of the injury, AR will miss the rest of the regular season. Moreover, reports say that he will require 3-6 weeks to recover, thus putting his playoff appearance at risk.
Therefore, Austin Reaves’ situation has become a Lakers crisis of sorts. The team faces tough choices as they juggle his recovery and contract negotiations. Meanwhile, medical disputes with the Mavericks have stalled clarity on his injury. With Reaves out for the rest of the regular season and playoff availability in question, the front office will have to move smartly to secure their future.
