The Los Angeles Lakers front office has the unenviable task of juggling two timelines at once this season.
With LeBron James, potentially, playing his final season with the Purple and Gold, JJ Redick would be wise to squeeze out every bit of production the Lakers can out of the future Hall of Famer. The Lakers owe that to LeBron as well as their fans.
At the same time, the franchise must not make sacrifices to win this season at the expense of its future. Luka Doncic is the future in Los Angeles. There is no doubt about that fact after the veteran agreed to a three-year extension with the club earlier this offseason.
One of the biggest decisions concerning what this roster will look like down the road is whether Auston Reaves is able to agree on a new deal with the franchise next summer. That is what makes this such a pivotal season for Reaves. If he doesn't prove now that he can be a legit No. 2 option in the backcourt alongside Doncic, it's hard to imagine Los Angeles committing the type of money Reaves would command to sign him to a new deal.
Jovan on Austin Reaves:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) August 15, 2025
"People around the league are penciling him in to make $30+ million this summer whether it's with the Lakers or someone else. I expect it to be with the Lakers...he wants to be a Laker for life" pic.twitter.com/5WBfgkg3YI
Looming Lakers FA Austin Reaves Wants to Retire in Los Angeles
For Reaves to earn the $30 million average annual salary he is seeking, he will have to improve upon the showing he had during the 2024 NBA playoffs. His situation is really as simple as that. The Lakers are about competing for and winning titles; you are either helping contribute to that or you're out the door.
Should Reaves not improve significantly from what he showed this past postseason, where he was a 41% shooter from the field, a 31% shooter from beyond the arc, and a player who averaged 3.6 assists and 2.8 turnovers per contest, it would make zero sense for Los Angeles to pay him big money to be part of the puzzle without LeBron James on the floor alongside him.
If Reaves can shift the narrative back to one in which he is viewed as a developmental star with potential to grow as a player, none of what has been said above will be of any concern to you. However, if fans continue to see more of the same as they did against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs, then the roster may be better off without him taking up a spot at a high rate of pay.