Austin Reaves has spent the past five seasons proving doubters wrong. After entering the NBA as an undrafted free agent in 2021, the Los Angeles Lakers guard developed into one of the franchise's most dependable players and earned a four-year, $185 million maximum contract this offseason.

With that contract, however, comes a new level of pressure.

Speaking on The Draymond Green Show, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said the Lakers' decision to make Reaves one of the highest-paid guards in the league signals that the organization is fully committed to building around him.

"I think and believe the Lakers are all in on Austin Reaves," Green said. "I think that's what this four-year, $185 million max deal shows."

Green believes the contract changes how Reaves will be viewed moving forward. Instead of being praised for outperforming expectations, every performance—especially in the postseason—will now be measured against the salary attached to his name.

"The expectation of what he's expected to do raises tremendously," Green said. "I think Austin Reaves has had some struggles in the playoffs. You have those struggles making $45 million a year, it's not viewed the same way when you're making $23 million a year."

Reaves enters the 2026-27 season coming off the best campaign of his career. In 51 regular-season games, he averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49.0% from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc. He also converted 87.1% of his free throws, continuing to establish himself as one of the Lakers' most efficient offensive players.

His production marked another step in a rapid rise that few expected when he signed with L.A. after going undrafted out of Oklahoma. Reaves averaged just 7.3 points as a rookie before improving every season, becoming a full-time starter and eventually developing into one of the focal points of the Lakers' offense.

The max contract reflects that progression and the organization's belief that Reaves can lead the franchise into its next era.

Still, Green believes the criticism will only intensify from here.

"So, I will warn Austin Reaves," Green said. "Prepare for what's to come with that. You have to play great now, at all times. You have to have great playoff series. You're not allowed to struggle or people will crush you. That's what happens when you sign these bigger deals and you move up the hierarchy in the NBA."

Green's comments stem largely from Reaves' postseason inconsistency. During the Lakers' second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Reaves mixed strong performances with difficult shooting nights.

He scored 31 points in Game 3 and finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the series finale, but also shot just 3-for-16 in Game 2 as L.A. was eliminated.

While those performances drew criticism, Reaves was also asked to shoulder a significantly larger offensive workload than in previous postseasons. That responsibility is expected to continue after the Lakers committed to him with one of the richest contracts of the offseason.

For L.A., the deal represents confidence in a player who has steadily exceeded expectations since arriving in the NBA. For Reaves, it also means there will be little room for error.

Whether fair or not, Green believes the standard has changed. Reaves is no longer the underdog story that captivated Lakers fans over the past five years. He is now a max player expected to deliver like one every night, particularly when the playoffs begin.