Could a massive offer lure him from Los Angeles in the offseason?
The Utah Jazz could be looking to make a splash this summer, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves appears to be on their radar.
Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus recently went on the Buha's Block podcast and dropped a nugget that should catch the attention of every Lakers fan paying attention to the offseason.
"I've heard that the Jazz like Austin Reaves," Pincus said, adding that Utah is "one of the teams interested in him."
Reaves Is Having a Career Year
None of this should come as a shock when you look at what Reaves has done this season, as the 27-year-old is putting up career-high numbers of 23.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field.
He went from undrafted to legitimate star, and now he is expected to decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 to test the open market.
That would make him one of the most valuable unrestricted free agents available this summer.
The Jazz, sitting at just 20-45 on the season, have spent the year stockpiling expiring contracts and building around young talent to keep as much salary cap room open as possible.
Reports suggest Utah could create enough space to put together an offer starting around $28 million per year, which would be a huge raise from what Reaves is currently making.
A sign-and-trade could also be on the table, though the Jazz are unlikely to include center Walker Kessler since they see him as a core piece of the rebuild going forward.
The Lakers Angle
From the Lakers' side of things, letting Reaves walk would not just hurt, it would be a bad basketball decision given how well he fits next to Luka Doncic.
The Los Angeles Lakers sit at 39-25 this season, and a big reason for that is Doncic playing at an MVP level with 32.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game.
When those two share the floor, the offense just clicks because both of them can create for themselves, create for each other and space the floor all at the same time.
Doncic talked about exactly that after their dominant win over the Knicks on Sunday, a game where the two combined for 60 points without LeBron James in the lineup.
"It's just great being his teammate," Doncic said, adding that playing with Reaves "makes my life easy" because of how much attention he draws from defenses.
Why the Lakers Need to Pay Reaves
Reaves dealt with a calf injury earlier this season that kept him out for over a month, and his return to the lineup only proved how much the Lakers need him out there.
Since getting fully up to speed, he has looked like the same guy who was putting up All-Star numbers before going down on Christmas Day.
Here is where the money comes in.
The Lakers hold Reaves' full Bird Rights, so they can offer him a five-year max deal worth roughly $241 million, while other teams like the Jazz can only go up to about $178.5 million over four years.
That is a gap of over $60 million, which gives the Los Angeles Lakers a serious edge in keeping him.
Beyond the dollars, the on-court fit speaks for itself.
The Doncic and Reaves backcourt has been one of the best pairings in the league this season, and their ability to attack downhill and draw fouls is a big reason why the Lakers rank near the top of the league in free throw attempts per game.
Reaves himself has said over and over that he wants to stay in Los Angeles, telling ESPN's Dave McMenamin earlier this season that he is not chasing a number that "don't make sense" and that he wants to do everything he can to help the organization win.
Looking Ahead
The Jazz interest adds another layer to what is shaping up to be a fascinating offseason for the Lakers, but the right move here could not be more obvious.
They can pay Austin Reaves and build around the Doncic-Reaves partnership for the long haul.
Utah might have the cap space to make things interesting, but the Lakers have the money, the chemistry, and the competitive advantage to keep their homegrown star right where he is.