Austin Reaves took his game to new heights in the 2025-26 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, building on a breakout 2024-25 campaign where he averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists over 73 games. Across 44 games this campaign, he’s elevated to 23.5 points per game on elite 65.1% true shooting, while sustaining his rebounds and assist numbers. The leap in scoring efficiency, shot selection, and finishing, as well as strong three-point volume, makes him an indispensable cog in JJ Redick’s offensive unit.

The 27-year-old has cemented a starring role alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic. This was highlighted by his recent career milestone of entering the Lakers’ 5,000-point club as just the second undrafted player to do so. Reaves, currently on a four-year $53.83 million contract, is shaping up to be one of the unsung heroes of LA’s redemption arc. But with his contract up for renewal soon, the Lakers could be pushed to shell out top dollar to retain their ‘underdog’ shooting guard.

Reputed NBA analyst Yossi Gozlan revealed in his latest piece for Third Apron that potential rival teams are willing to offer the Arkansas-native a two-three year “max-type” deal to tempt him away from the city of angels.

Gozlan argues that Reaves is most definitely locked-in to decline the $14.9M player option that’s part of his current deal, given his career season production and market value. He’s valued on par with the likes of Tyler Herro and Mikal Bridges and would demand either a four-year $120 million or five-year $160 million extension if he renews with LA.

His contributions this year have bumped his worth to roughly a 23% of cap valuation, similar to Desmond Bane, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving’s current salary tier, which falls just under a full 25% max.

With Bird rights, the Lakers can go up to the max if necessary, so from a financial perspective, they are not capped out in terms of what they can offer. However, a long-term commitment for Reaves ($41.5 million first-year salary) could potentially crowd out cap space. It could ruin their avenues of chasing another top-tier star or even force salary dumps like Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million a year).

With 2026-27 commitments already crossing the $90 million mark, and with LeBron’s future up in the air, adding $40+ million for Reaves limits flexibility as the Lakers focus on win-now trades. Lucrative short-term payouts from rivals will most likely force painful price-matching and compromise trade assets.

Potential landing destinations for Austin Reaves this summer

As reported earlier this month, Reaves is an attractive option for multiple teams, both in the East and the West. The one name that keeps popping up in potential AR trade rumors is the Utah Jazz. But there are also murmurs of potential deals being drawn up that could see him move to the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, or even close-door neighbours, the LA Clippers.

The Clippers could aggressively pursue Reaves with a short-term (2-3 year) max offer, similar to what the Houston Rockets offered Fred VanVleet in 2023. Pairing him alongside Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland will be a cheat code for Ty Lue’s side.

Gozlan’s report in the Third Apron further links Reaves to the Hawks, citing Reggie Berry (Austin’s agent) and a rumored verbal altercation between Rich Paul and Austin. Berry took offence when Paul suggested the Lakers explore a move for a Reaves-Jaren Jackson Jr. trade in January, which ultimately did not materialise.

“There’s a world where you can do what’s best for your team and do what’s best for Austin because Austin deserves to get paid,” Paul was quoted as saying a couple of months ago.

The Utah links stem from LA’s prior interest in the Jazz’s Walker Kessler. The Western Conference rival could explore a trade deal that suits both parties, but any deal involving Kessler will involve considerable financial commitment.

“I’ve heard that the Utah Jazz like Austin Reaves. I don’t think that’s a shock, but I’ve heard that that’s one of the teams that’s interested in Austin Reaves,” NBA insider Eric Pincus said earlier this month while on the Jovan Buha show.

Despite these links and speculation, Reaves has repeatedly stated that his priority is to remain a Laker for the foreseeable future. At 6’5”, with real on‑ball scoring and playmaking, he’s positioned as a “great number two on a great team” who can periodically function as the primary scorer. He’s the exact co‑star archetype that many teams are hunting for this summer.

But given his budding ‘bromance’ with Doncic, Reaves will not push for a move away, unless, of course, the Lakers make a play out of the blue. Reaves remains one of the most sought‑after free agents in the “above mid‑level, sub‑max” range, with plausible upside.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are on a hot streak in the league right now. They’ve gone 9-1 in the last 10, courtesy of Luka Doncic’s explosive dominance on the court, with the Slovenian making a late play for the MVP title. But one man going under the radar in this epic streak is #15, Austin Reaves.

A short‑term near‑max or max offer from another team structured aggressively enough will definitely test how far LA will really go financially. This saga will only gain traction as we approach the summer, especially if the Lakers put together a deep playoff run with Reaves thrusting him further in the limelight.