Austin Reaves has ascended to stardom to kick off the 2025-26 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers. It took him some time; four seasons to be precise. Ultimately, he stepped up for the team. They needed someone to hold the reins in LeBron James and Luka Doncic’s absence. AR has averaged 34.2 ppg, 5.6 rebs, and 10.0 asts in the first five games of the season. Yet, the crux of the matter is that Reaves and the Lakers haven’t decided on a future. But if the word around the league is true, then executives have set an estimated value for the 27-year-old.

Last June, the Lakers tossed Austin Reaves a $89.2 million, four-year deal; a solid bag but nowhere near his soaring worth. He turned it down, betting on himself with confidence and flair. Now, with a $14.8 million player option on the table, he’s ready to walk away and chase a jackpot. As insider Dan Woike reports, execs believe Reaves could soon pull in a wild $40 million a year if he keeps lighting it up.

Meanwhile,  ESPN’s Tim Bontemps recently revealed AR. “He’s always been a very good player, but now he’s in a role where he can have the ball and generate a lot of offense,” a West executive said about Reaves. “Someone is going to pay him a lot of money next summer”. Thus, the insider believes $30 million per year marks the starting price for Reaves’ talent. To put that in perspective, only 59 players in the entire NBA earn that much or more.

One executive suggested that since Reaves could grab around $180 million over four years elsewhere, the Lakers might strike a five-year deal worth even more to keep him in L.A. “I don’t think he’s going to quite keep up this pace because LeBron will take away touches,” the executive said. “But he is good and the Lakers intend to keep him and he intends to stay, so my guess is it gets done.”

Recently, Sam Amick of The Athletic compared Austin Reaves’ situation to Jalen Brunson’s move from Dallas to New York. Hinting at a similar crossroads ahead. With free agency looming next summer, Rob Pelinka could pull the trigger. A blockbuster trade for a superstar like Nikola Jokic or Giannis Antetokounmpo awaits. Or Reaves, now 27 and rising fast, could choose his own path and walk away for a team to call his own.

But the trouble ain’t over for Rob Pelinka or the Los Angeles Lakers front office. You see, there is a major $240 million decision looming at large. And everything boils down to what both Reaves and LA want. Let’s not forget that LeBron James could hang up his boots anytime. And if it happens, then Luka Doncic will be left without an elite support. In that case, keeping Austin on the team would become a goal for the franchise.

Austin Reaves and the $240 million dilemma

LeBron James could call it a career anytime, and that leaves Luka Doncic exposed to a shaky supporting cast. But right in the middle of all this stands Austin Reaves, the pulse of the Lakers. His devotion to the purple and gold runs deep, and his hunger to compete burns brighter than ever. Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka’s refusal to trade him for superstar names speaks volumes. For Reaves, that trust is golden. For L.A., it’s risky business.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are holding their cards tight. They could easily outbid any franchise next July with a five-year, $240 million offer, yet they prefer to watch how Reaves blends with Doncic through the full season. Patience, after all, is power. With new owner Mark Walter sealing a massive $10 billion takeover in June, the Lakers’ money muscle and ambition now look equally unstoppable.

Austin Reaves stands at the edge of something big, where loyalty meets legacy and the future teases a wild gamble. The Lakers know his worth, yet time dares them to act. Every game he plays feels like a silent negotiation with destiny. The spotlight loves him, and the city trusts him. So, somewhere between ambition and affection, both sides wait to see who blinks first.