Lakers’ Austin Reaves Wants $30 Million Per Year, Same as Tyler Herro
Austin Reaves is looking for a major payday from the Lakers. The 27-year-old guard reportedly wants around $30 million per year in his next contract, putting him in the same salary range as Miami Heat star Tyler Herro.
He’s also expected to decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026.
“There is zero chance he is picking up his $14.9 million player option, even if he plans to stay with the Lakers,” wrote NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin. “Reaves reportedly wants to be paid in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year (and Herro is a good comp in a lot of ways).”
Reaves Currently on a Bargain Deal
The four-year, $53.8 million contract Reaves signed in 2023 is widely considered one of the best value deals in the NBA.
His $13.9 million salary next season doesn’t even reach the non-tax midlevel exception level, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
This team-friendly deal is exactly why Reaves might become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Because of his current low salary, the maximum extension the Lakers can offer is just four years, $89.2 million.
Reaves would make more money annually with a new contract starting at $30 million than if he took the $89.2 million extension.
Marks explains that the first-year salary of $19.9 million in an extension would be 140% of the average player salary – the maximum allowed under the CBA. That’s why Reaves might test the open market next summer.
If he skips the extension and becomes a free agent, both the Lakers and teams with cap space could offer him up to 25% of the salary cap. That would mean a first-year salary of about $42.5 million.
Reaves Says He Wants to Stay in LA
Despite the contract situation, Reaves has publicly expressed his desire to remain with the Lakers long-term.
At his youth basketball camp in Arkansas back in June, he told a local TV station: “I want to be in L.A. I want to play my whole career in L.A. And I love it there. I love the fans. Love the weather, love the golf. And obviously the Lakers are the best organization in basketball.”
Reaves had a breakout 2024-25 season, averaging career highs across the board with 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 73 games as a starter. He shot a solid 46% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.
He even exploded for a career-high 45 points against the Indiana Pacers on February 8, hitting 14-of-26 shots from the field and 4-of-9 from beyond the arc in the Lakers’ 124-117 win.
The question now is whether the Lakers will pay up to keep their rising star or risk losing him to the highest bidder.
