Lakers and Austin Reaves: Re-sign or $40M Free Agent?

Merlin sees the Lakers circling a new deal for Austin Reaves, with Brian Windhorst saying "I suspect Austin Reaves, strongly, is going to get re-signed." Reaves earns just over $13.9M in 2025–26 and holds a $14.8M player option for 2026–27; he can sign a four‑year, $89M extension now or test 2026 free agency where he could command $40M+ per year. He averaged a career‑high 20.2 points and 5.8 assists in 2024–25. Merlin senses the tug-of-war: Los Angeles values Reaves’ fit and scoring punch, especially with LeBron’s future unclear, but Reaves has strong leverage to wait for a bigger payday. The Lakers must decide how much cap space and roster flexibility they’ll trade to keep a proven 27‑year‑old core piece.