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Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers

Is it going to be $241 million for five years for Lakers star guard Austin Reaves? Is it going to be a sign-and-trade? Is it going to be some compromise, a lesser number but still a substantial contract for Reaves, who showed his value this season with averages of 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists, but who has also showed his limitations as a foundational piece?

In the wake of Game 4 against the Thunder on Monday in Los Angeles, a game in which the Lakers held close before finally losing, 115-110, that was one of the many prominent questions for the team  and for Reaves. And in a way, the game showed the difficulty of deciding how far to go to keep Reaves, who had 27 points on 8-for-16 shooting, but also had a whopping eight turnovers.

Officially, Reaves’ free agency won’t begin for seven weeks. But unofficially, it began on Monday night with the end of the Lakers’ season, and the anticipation of whether the Lakers will go full bore to re-sign him, or whether another team will pony up a major offer for him.

Austin Reaves: ‘I Don’t Think About It Much’

After the loss, Reaves was asked about his impending decision in free agency, which is likely to cascade from whatever direction the Lakers take this summer. There are decisions, of course, that go well beyond him, including what happens with Hall of Fame forward LeBron James.

But Reaves has been clear when asked about free agency in the past–he is taking the big-picture approach and not getting ahead of himself. He claimed that position again on Monday.

Said Reaves: “I’m gonna be honest. Like I said, I’ve been around for five years. Y’all I would say know me pretty well. But I don’t think about it much. I take life day-by-day, and I’m just blessed to have an opportunity to play for this organization. I play a kid’s game. I make good money. Like I said, I don’t think about what I’m really gonna do in the future. I’m kinda just day-by-day.”

Lakers Could Lose Austin Reaves in Free Agency

The Lakers’ inclination is certainly to keep Reaves, an undrafted prospect who averaged 16.3 points in two seasons for Oklahoma after transferring from Wichita State. The team has brought him along over the past five years, and though a sign-and-trade deal is a possibility, that figures to get complex. A sign-and-trade requires Reaves’ say-so, and if the Lakers shop him that way, he could easily just opt to sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent.

That would leave the Lakers to watch Reaves walk away with no return, much as they did with Alex Caruso in 2021. It’s a tight needle to thread.

Lakers LeBron James Decision a Factor

Again, a lot of this will hinge on the bigger picture, which includes what happens with James. Does he retire? Does he come back on a bargain contract? On a full max contract? Does he simply walk away in free agency? Does he seek a sign-and-trade deal?

Reaves and James are linked, too, because it was James who took Reaves under his wing as a longshot to even make the team five years ago.

As James said of Reaves: “Seeing AR grow over five years has been nothing short of amazing. He’s a hard worker, he loves the game, he wants to get better and he’s not afraid of constructive criticism. I saw the talent, but also saw that he was willing to put the work in and wasn’t afraid of the moment. To see where he is today is awesome.”