Los Angeles Lakers star guard Austin Reaves has decided to formally decline a max extension offer by the Lakers. The deal comes off the back of the Lakers making NBA and American sports history with their sale to Mark Walters, which shook the sports world globally. Following several impressive seasons with the Lakers, Austin Reaves, or “AR” as he’s affectionately become known, has shown consistent improvement on the floor. Not a small feat when one considers the fact that playing for a team with such high expectations can, and has in the past, cause players to buckle and not perform at their best. Not so with Austin Reaves.
Austin Reaves’ path to the NBA has not been an easy journey
Austin Reaves has become one of the best guards in the NBA in only four seasons with the Lakers. His path to the NBA was unlike most players and is the stuff legends are made of, and the best evidence that the draft is not a guarantee of success in the NBA. Following his college career playing for the Wichita State Shockers, he played for the Oklahoma Sooners.
The NBA Draft is an annual event that gives the fans some backstory to the rookies entering the league and certainly puts a lot of pressure to perform. Austin Reaves went undrafted and was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Since joining, he has gone from strength to strength and consistently improved his performances.
Austin Reaves has earned a big-money contract extension for the Lakers
Reaves’ consistent improvement in his four years with the Lakers has meant that he now plays at the highest level alongside some of the best basketball players in the world, in LeBron and Luka. This season was Austin Reaves’ best to date in his career as he averaged 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 46% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc.
The consensus around the NBA was that the Lakers were going to offer Reaves a big-money contract following his step up to the top of the game to compete with the best players in the NBA. Reaves has publicly stated his desire to stay in Los Angeles long-term, and the Lakers sure seem proud of themselves for unearthing such an ignored talent in Austin Reaves, so a deal was on the cards.
Austin Reaves displays maturity beyond his young age
The Athletic’s Dan Woike has reported that Reaves has turned down a four-year max contract extension worth $89.2 million with the Lakers. We suspect that Reaves plans to decline the contract, waive his player option for the 2026-27 campaign, and get an even bigger paycheck as a free agent. As LeBron and the Lakers chase another ring, the decision to wait it out for a bigger payday shows maturity on the part of Reaves. He had the following to say about the situation:
“I want to be in L.A. If they want to trade me, then we’ll start something new somewhere else. But like I said, I want to be in L.A. I want to be in L.A. I want to play my whole career in L.A. I love it there. I love the fans. Love the weather, love the golf. And obviously, the Lakers is the best organization in basketball. I don’t pay attention to [the noise]. I keep my head down, work, and I feel like that’s one of the reasons I’m where I’m at.”
Austin Reaves and the LA Lakers have a bright future together
Love them or hate them, the Los Angeles Lakers have made an unparalleled impact on the NBA. Austin Reaves came into the league undrafted and has undoubtedly proven his worth as a Laker to the city of Los Angeles. As free agency is now open, the trades and signings are due to come fast and hard, as reports are that most teams in the NBA are looking to make significant changes to their rosters. One thing we know is that the Lakers can not afford to lose a player of Austin Reaves’ caliber. Will they offer him an even bigger contract to keep him in LA?
