Lakers 'Disaster' Scenario Outlined by NBA Exec If Austin Reaves Leaves in Free Agency

With the June 29 deadline for his contract option approaching, Austin Reaves has all of the leverage over the Los Angeles Lakers if he declines his deal to negotiate a new one.

As one Western Conference executive told The Athletic's Dan Woike, it would be a "disaster" scenario for the Lakers if they were to lose Reaves in free agency.

"You can't let a talent like that walk," the exec said. "That would be a disaster."

Losing Reaves would be a disaster because there's no obvious way to replace his production in free agency. James Harden and Trae Young are other high-profile guards who could be available, but both are seen as likely to remain with their current clubs.

Neither Harden nor Young would seem like a good fit in the same backcourt with Luka Dončić even if they were to sign elsewhere.

Paul George and Zach LaVine are potential trade candidates, but their contracts are so exorbitant relative to their production that it's hard to imagine the Lakers having much interest in either one.

Reaves, who holds a $14.9 million player option for 2026-27, seems like a safe bet to opt out coming off the best season of his career. He's expected to pursue a max deal, with the Lakers being able to offer up to $241 million over five years.

Other clubs have the ability to present Reaves with a four-year deal worth up to $178 million. Woike specifically cited the Brooklyn Nets as a team expected to present him with that offer.

There has been very little consideration given to the idea of Reaves leaving Los Angeles. He emerged as a strong No. 2 behind Luka Dončić this season, even with LeBron James still on the roster.

It doesn't hurt Reaves' position that he has formed a strong friendship with Dončić since becoming teammates midway through the 2024-25 season.

Much of the focus on the Lakers' offseason has centered around James and his future. They will presumably want a quick resolution to his situation because his $59.5 million cap hold is tying up a lot of their flexibility to make other roster moves.

Rui Hachimura, who has been a valuable role player in head coach JJ Redick's system, is also set to become a free agent.

Retaining both Reaves and Hachimura could lock the Lakers in to a core that had a defined ceiling for most of this season, but Reaves would seem like the higher priority given his improved play every year of his career to this point.

Reaves leaving would hurt the Lakers in multiple ways because they don't have an obvious replacement for his production, nor does he clear a significant amount of cap space that they could make a big splash in free agency.

There are certainly limitations to a roster built around a Dončić-Reaves backcourt, primarily on the defensive end, but the Lakers' offensive rating with both of them on the court was 121.3 this season.

The Denver Nuggets led the NBA with a 121.2 offensive rating in the regular season.

Reaves averaged 23.3 points on 49.0 percent shooting, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game in 51 appearances during the 2025-26 regular season.