NBA Rumors: Austin Reaves Might Not Continue with the Los Angeles Lakers
If everything goes as planned and the player maintains his level, he is guaranteed a big salary next year
Austin Reaves is emerging as one of the most valuable players in terms of quality-price ratio in the entire NBA. After averaging 20 points per game last season with Los Angeles Lakers, the shooting guard will face this season earning just 13.9 million dollars, an amount even lower than the mid-level exception. This will be the third year of his four-year contract worth 53.8 million, an absolute bargain in the current league context, so he will shake up the NBA market next summer.
Next summer, it is expected that the player will decline his player option to become a free agent, and everything indicates that he will obtain a much higher figure. According to several executives consulted by Tim Bontemps (ESPN), Reaves could sign a new contract for over 30 million dollars per season. This could lead him to leave the Los Angeles team depending on the team's needs.
"I think he's going to get more than 30 million," one of them stated, reflecting the consensus among several front office sources.
The general expectation is that Reaves will renew with the Lakers, but that might not happen. There are doubts that this season will have to clarify. His performance in the last playoffs left room for improvement: against the physical defense of the Timberwolves, he averaged 16.2 points and 3.6 assists, shooting 41.1% from the field and 31.9% from beyond the arc. Furthermore, his defense remains a weak point, which could complicate his fit alongside Doncic in long stretches, especially in the postseason.
However, when comparing his level with other shooting guards earning around 30 million annually — like Jalen Suggs, Tyler Herro, Jordan Poole, or Dejounte Murray — Reaves fits perfectly within that salary range. A four-year contract worth 120 million dollars seems most likely, so if the Los Angeles team can't manage, it's normal for him to leave.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rumores NBA: Austin Reaves podría no seguir en Los Angeles Lakers
