Lakers' Austin Reaves Shows Love to LeBron James in Photo After Star's Exit in NBA Free Agency

For the first time in his career, Austin Reaves won't be playing alongside LeBron James.

After James' exit from the Los Angeles Lakers, Reaves showed him love on Instagram.

"Thank you for everything," Reaves wrote. "See you on the golf course soon brother!"

James informed the Lakers on Tuesday that he does not plan to return to Los Angeles in 2026-27, ending his eight-year run with the team. The news came just days after Reaves signed a four-year, $185 million contract with the Lakers.

James has been alongside Reaves his entire career, from undrafted out of college to star in the making. While James can't take all the credit, he was surely a pivotal piece in Reaves' success. The guard had a career season in 2025-26, putting up 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 boards per game.

The question now is where James will end up next season.

James' agent, Rich Paul, said Wednesday that he had spoken to "about 12 to 14" teams since James hit free agency, so about half of the league is interested in signing the all-time great.

The Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are among the teams with known interest in James.

The Warriors make sense for James since it would give him the chance to play alongside Stephen Curry for the first time in his career, and he could stay close to his home in Southern California.

The Heat and Cavs also figure to have a strong case to bring James in, since he played for both of those squads, and both are in a good position to compete this season.

James has little left to prove in his career, but winning one last championship would certainly be the ending he's hoping for.