The Los Angeles Lakers‘ offseason has been a rollercoaster thus far. Amid the flurry of recent offseason moves and rumors, NBA insider Jake Weinbach sparked trade speculation around Lakers guard Austin Reaves in light of the team’s approach towards roster construction. He tweeted:
“Austin Reaves’ situation with the Lakers is one to monitor across the league. Reaves reportedly declined a four-year, $89.2M extension from the Lakers last month and is widely expected to decline his $14.8M player option next summer to become an unrestricted free agent.”
“If the two sides are far apart on extension talks, the Lakers may shop the value of the 27-year-old guard to avoid the possibility of losing him for nothing once 2026 free agency comes around.”
Reaves is one of the Lakers’ most valuable assets. Given what the 27-year-old brings to the floor nightly, he is effectively viewed as the team’s third star.
The Lakers guard is expected to earn $13,937,574 in the upcoming season. When factoring in his averages of 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, it is clear that he is outperforming his contract. While this is beneficial for the Purple and Gold, Reaves is aware of his value to the team and his market worth.
As Weinbach mentioned, Reaves recently declined the team’s max extension offer. This was primarily because, as a free agent, the 27-year-old is expected to demand nearly $30 million annually in his next contract. A four-year, $89.2 million deal pales in comparison. This is a concern for the Lakers, as it also goes against their outlook for the summer of 2026.
The Lakers’ offseason moves have been centered around acquiring short-term deals that will clear up cap space for the 2026 offseason. This is primarily to give the team enough room to make a splash by signing a superstar in free agency.
With this approach in mind, presenting a max offer to Reaves may not be in the Lakers’ best interest. When also considering that he may be a free agent as soon as the next offseason, the Purple and Gold would look to capitalize on the current situation by gauging his value on the trade market.
Reaves is an immensely talented guard. His unique ability to score and create opportunities for his teammates has seen a lot of teams show an interest in him this offseason, seeing him linked in several trade rumors as well.
Given the Lakers’ most recent roster additions, the team is gearing up to be competitive in the West. While retaining Reaves would undoubtedly be of benefit to the team, trading him could bring back a star-caliber player in the right deal.
Although the Lakers guard has expressed his desire to remain with the team, the Purple and Gold may be forced into a situation where they’d have to revisit the option of trading him.
