Austin Reaves Turns Down Lakers Extension, Seeks Market-Value Deal
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves confirmed he rejected the team’s recent contract extension offer, saying he hopes to secure compensation that better reflects his on-court production when he reaches free agency next summer.
In an interview with Dan Woike of The Athletic, the 26-year-old guard emphasized his desire to remain in Los Angeles but said the proposed terms did not match his valuation. “You gave me an opportunity, and my family has been treated amazingly,” Reaves told the outlet. “But we didn’t think the number was the right number… We just want to get what we feel like I’ve put the work in to get.”
Reaves is entering the fifth season of the four-year deal he signed in 2023. He is scheduled to earn just under $14 million in 2025-26, substantially less than peers such as Jordan Poole, Immanuel Quickley and Jalen Suggs, each of whom makes at least $30 million annually.
The Arkansas native is coming off a career year, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 37.7% from three-point range. Assuming he opts out of the final season of his current contract, he will become an unrestricted free agent in July 2026.
Head coach JJ Redick said Reaves has been the standout performer during voluntary workouts at the UCLA Health Training Center. “Every day in the gym, he’s been the best player,” Redick noted, praising the guard’s strength, burst and overall conditioning.
For now, Reaves reiterated that his priority is to stay in purple and gold—provided the sides can agree on a deal he views as equitable. “It’s not like we’re trying to whack ’em over the head for more money than I deserve,” he said. “I want to be in L.A.”
Source: Lakers Nation
