Overview
- Reaves intends to re-sign with the Lakers on a four-year, $185 million maximum contract that includes a 2029–30 player option and replaces his $14.9 million 2026–27 player option, according to multiple reports on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
- The contract is the largest ever awarded to an undrafted NBA player, reflecting Reaves’ rise from a 2021 two-way signee to a 2025–26 breakout scorer who averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
- Los Angeles reached the agreement during its exclusive negotiating window after rival teams such as the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets were expected to pursue Reaves with near-max offers, removing him from the open market.
- The deal will not be formally signed until the Lakers exhaust available cap room because Reaves’ roughly $20.9 million cap hold stays on the books, allowing the club to use its space first and then re-sign him using his Bird rights.
- The commitment narrows Los Angeles’ long-term roster choices by adding a near-$46 million average salary to future payrolls and makes the front office’s next moves—targeting a defensive center, deciding on veteran opt-ins, and clarifying LeBron James’ plans—more consequential.