Does Austin Reaves want to return to the Los Angeles Lakers?
One of the teams with the biggest question marks heading into NBA free agency is the Los Angeles Lakers. The team has to figure out how they want to handle the upcoming contracts of players like LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and more.
The 2025-26 NBA season was somewhat of a volatile one for the Lakers, where they looked like a very unserious team at times, but then finished the season looking like a legitimate contender.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, they were hit with two rough injuries to Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, which shut their postseason short. Whether or not the Lakers are currently capable of defeating a team like the Thunder when fully healthy remains to be seen.
Despite that, Lakers guard Austin Reaves wants to run it back.
What Does Austin Reaves Want to Do?
During Memorial Day weekend, Reaves was approached by TMZ and asked whether or not he wanted the Lakers to run it back with the same squad.
"Run it back," Reaves said confidently.
Reaves was then asked about who he wanted the Lakers to sign, to which he revealed that he needed to sign first himself.
"I don't get into all that, I've gotta sign first," Reaves added.
Can the Lakers Actually Run it Back?
Unfortunately for the Los Angeles Lakers, Austin Reaves' stellar play during the 2025-26 NBA season has earned him a much bigger contract. Reaves is heavily expected to decline his $14,898,786 player option for the 2026-27 NBA season. Some expect Reaves to command contracts as high as a four-year, $172 million deal.
While the price seems high, Reaves has absolutely earned it, as he carried the Lakers during the team's shorthanded start. With that in mind, though, it'll be incredibly difficult for the Lakers to simply run it back next season.
For instance, LeBron James was earning $52 million last season with LA and will be an unrestricted free agent next season. There's absolutely no scenario where the Lakers can pay Austin Reaves, but run it back with James unless he takes a major pay cut.
It's a nice idea to believe that the Los Angeles Lakers can run it back, especially because they didn't get the chance to have a healthy playoff run, but it just feels very unlikely given contract scenarios.
© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesHowever, the fact that Reaves wants to return to LA is a good thing for the Lakers as they navigate a very uncertain offseason.
