New Lakers Rumors on Austin Reaves' Contract Value and 1 Threat for Bidding War with LA

Austin Reaves is in store for a significant contract this offseason, and the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly may have to outbid at least one other suitor.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported Thursday the "majority opinion" around the NBA is that the guard will remain with the Purple and Gold "on a massive raise." According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, scouts and executives think that contract will land around five years and $200 million and not quite at the max of five years and $239 million.

"I'd be pretty surprised if the first year starts with a 3 instead of a 4," an Eastern Conference scout said. "But the Lakers need to keep him, and by all accounts he wants to be there, so I think they make it work."

Keeping him may not be entirely straightforward, as Bontemps reported the Brooklyn Nets are "one potential bidder to watch this summer" since they have "more than enough salary cap space to accommodate a max-type player."

Brooklyn is coming off a 20-62 season, although it has the No. 6 pick in the 2026 NBA draft and could look to pair the early selection with someone like Reaves with an eye on future playoff runs.

Still, Los Angeles' entire offseason outlook could rest on whether it brings back the 27-year-old, especially given star player Luka Dončić's reported feelings about the situation.

"Dončić has made it clear to the Lakers that he would like to continue playing with Reaves," The Athletic's Dan Woike and Sam Amick reported this month. "Beyond their close friendship, Dončić believes in Reaves as a long-term piece next to him.

"Multiple league sources said that belief was best illustrated when Dončić told people within the organization that he wouldn't want Reaves included in any potential trade packages for Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dončić, those sources say, would strongly prefer a team construction that includes him and Reaves alongside whatever star the Lakers could acquire."

With 41-year-old LeBron James a free agent this offseason as well, the Lakers could look quite different in 2026-27. 

But Dončić is the centerpiece, and maintaining his chemistry with Reaves figures to be a priority even if it is an expensive one. After all, Reaves timed the best season of his career with looming free agency, which will only drive up his price tag.

He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from deep. There is no reason to expect that production to drop off in the immediate future either given his age, which means he could be looking at $200-plus million this summer.