Austin Reaves is set to sign a four-year maximum extension worth $185 million with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The deal will go down as the richest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history.
The 28-year-old shooting guard declined his $14.9 million player option for the new max deal, which averages just over $46 million per year in LA and includes a player option for the final season in 2029-30. Reaves was picked up by the Lakers after going undrafted in 2021.
He was expected to receive free-agent interest from several teams, including the Detroit Pistons, on a maximum-level salary, which forced the Lakers into negotiating a record contract to lock in their homegrown talent. His agents, Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, worked through negotiations over the last 10 days after teams were allowed to negotiate with their own free agents.
Last season, Reaves appeared in a career-low 51 games due to injury while averaging 23.3 points on 49 percent shooting, with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals.
Playoff return and offseason priorities
He missed the start of LA's first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but returned to average 20.0 points and 5.8 assists in six postseason games before their second-round elimination by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Before getting their offseason rebuild underway, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka had made it clear that Reaves' return was a priority for them. "He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker," Pelinka said. "We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the Purple and Gold."
LeBron James free agency status
Another priority for the Lakers this offseason is the future of star man LeBron James, who has a big decision to make regarding his intention for next season.
LeBron James, 41, just wrapped up his eighth year with the team in 2025-26, but is now an unrestricted free agent after completing a two-year, $101.35 million deal.
According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the basketball legend is not fully committed to returning to LA for a ninth season. "So LA is the first team he can talk to since he's their free agent," Shelburne said Sunday. "My understanding is that they had initial conversations with LeBron James' representative, but he has not even fully committed to returning next year in these conversations."
Shelburne added that the conversations were described to her as "we're keeping in touch," noting that there is no commitment to returning or salary figures being discussed.
