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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 25: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts for a LA Clippers foul during the first half at Crypto.com Arena on November 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers, by all accounts, are expected to be busy in the upcoming 2026 NBA offseason by going after big-name free agents and trade targets. However, their summer plans heavily revolve around the free agency of Austin Reaves, as the star guard could earn a near-max contract extension, but giving him that type of money could severely hinder the Lakers’ ability to build a revamped roster around Luka Doncic.

Reaves’ free agency remains relatively straightforward, at least compared to that of LeBron James and his uncertain future with the Lakers. It appears Los Angeles wants to bring back their young guard after his breakout season, but an exact price tag has yet to be determined.

Reaves was previously expected to get the max contract extension worth roughly $240 million over five years, but as the official start of the offseason approaches, the Lakers were recently warned about how giving the 28-year-old that kind of money could impact their free agency and trade plans.

Los Angeles Warned About Austin Reaves Free Agency Contract Extension

It looks clear that the Lakers want to keep Reaves in restricted free agency for the long-term next to Doncic, but the firm numbers on the type of deal they’ll offer him remain to be seen.

Most recently, Los Angeles was warned about Reaves’ free agency, as signing him to a big-time deal will leave them with less cap space than initially expected, which could hinder their ability to go after their expected free agent targets and a few names available on the trade market.

“The Lakers need to be careful about drawing the line in negotiations with Reaves,” Bobby Marks of ESPN wrote on how a new Reaves contract extension could decide Los Angeles’ ability to make another offseason splash.

It was revealed by both ESPN NBA insiders and Dan Woike of The Athletic that, along with the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks have all shown an interest in stealing Reaves from the Lakers this summer.

With that, Los Angeles might need to offer him more than they’d be willing to give him in a vacuum to keep him locked down. However, as the Lakers don’t have the cap space they were originally projected to enter the offseason with, signing Reaves to a big chunk of their salary cap could spell disaster for their other free agency plans.

Putting the James aspect of their summer aside, the Lakers need to bring back a few of their restricted free agents, including Reaves. But if he demands a deal closer to that $240 million rather than the $160-$180 million amount that would be more team-friendly, Los Angeles’ plans about building a new roster could come crashing down.

Lakers Free Agent Targets And Offseason Plans After A Reaves Deal

As has been reported since the early-February trade deadline, the Lakers have eyes for several free agent targets that could be available. Writing for ESPN a few months ago, Dave McMenamin offered up a few names that have since led headlines as the expected names Los Angeles will go after this summer.

“An unrestricted free agent who has been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, is Andrew Wiggins, but he has a player option with Miami he could exercise. Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile.” he wrote. “The Lakers have also privately discussed restricted free agents Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, sources told ESPN.”

Additionally, when writing about the Lakers’ current Reaves situation, Marks offered up a few more targets on the team’s radar, but they might be harder to get.

“Finding contributors in an average 2026 free agent class could be difficult. Jalen Duren, Walker Kessler, Peyton Watson and Tari Eason are restricted free agents, meaning their current team can match any offer sheet.”

Check the fan websites, and the Lakers are linked to numerous other free agent and trade targets, but for the time being, all the names mentioned above have been mentioned as realistic players for them to add this offseason.

However, going back to their main issue, Reaves’ free agency plans could drastically change what the Lakers do this summer. But as Woike wrote, Los Angeles has the unique ability to get other deals done before finalizing a Reaves extension, and even if problems arise, they would be fixable later on.

“Because of Reaves’ relatively small cap hold ($20.9 million), the Lakers would like to agree to a deal but hold off signing Reaves until they execute the rest of their offseason business,” he wrote. “That might mean paying more than the Lakers would ideally like — a problem they can solve down the road if it ever becomes one.”

Still, as an unnamed executive said to the insider from The Athletic, losing Reaves, despite that potentially benefiting roster-building for the future, would be a ‘disaster.’

“You can’t let a talent like that walk,” one Western Conference executive said. “That would be a disaster.”

Reaves is likely to ink a massive new deal with the Lakers in restricted free agency, but questions remain on whether he is a perfect fit next to Doncic, and how the 28-year-old taking up a massive chunk of their salary cap could hinder the front office’s ability to go after more players they believe would be a good fit on the team.