Austin Reaves Reveals Reaction to LeBron James Leaving Lakers in 2026 NBA Free Agency

Austin Reaves has "nothing but love and respect" for LeBron James, even if the King "ruined" his round of golf.

On Wednesday, Reaves told Edward Lewis of the California Post he was on the golf course when he found out James informed the Los Angeles Lakers he would not be returning to the team next season.

"I texted him, and I told him I was having a great day on the golf course until he ruined it," Reaves said.

He was clearly being tongue-in-cheek and became more serious when discussing how thankful he is to James.

"I don't have enough time to explain how much he means to me and my career and what he's done for me," Reaves said. "... There's nothing but love and respect. And when he comes to LA, I need to see him out on the golf course. Maybe play a couple holes or something."

The comments echo his initial post on Instagram after the James news broke, which thanked the future Hall of Famer and hinted at a future golf matchup:

James' decision came shortly after Reaves agreed to a four-year, $185 million deal with the Lakers, securing his spot as a franchise building block alongside Luka Dončić. But his new role will surely take some time getting used to, as the King has been with the Lakers since Reaves entered the league as an undrafted free agent for the 2021-22 season.

Reaves has exceeded all expectations since then and just scored a career-high 23.3 points per game last season. He also averaged 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals a night, underscoring his ability to impact the game in a variety of ways.

Few in NBA history have impacted games in as many statistical categories as James, and his influence surely played a significant role in Reaves' development early in his career.

But they will be opponents for the first time next season.