Keeping Austin Reaves will be a major priority for the Lakers this offseason, but the team likely won’t get the same type of value contract it secured the last time he reached free agency.
Speaking on the Run It Back podcast, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated said Reaves is expected to draw strong interest across the league.
“There’s gonna be a market for Austin Reaves, a big one this summer,” Mannix said. “The Lakers are gonna have to pay him.”
Even with that expectation, Mannix noted that the Lakers remain confident they will be able to retain Reaves.
Their larger concern, according to him, is building a roster that fits well around Reaves and Luka Doncic, particularly by adding strong defensive players who can complement their offensive skills.
Mannix also said the organization is looking at the structure of Doncic’s 2024 Dallas Finals team as a potential model for how to shape the roster moving forward.
That approach could lead the Lakers to search for a more natural fit at center to fill a role similar to what Daniel Gafford or Dereck Lively II provided for Dallas.
He suggested that Gafford himself could become a possible target, noting that the big man was frequently mentioned in trade rumors before the deadline.
Meanwhile, Deandre Ayton currently holds an $8.1 million player option for next season, which could factor into how the Lakers approach their frontcourt decisions.
Lakers Notes: Redick, Doncic, Reaves, Ayton, Offseason Plans https://t.co/tDWjp9P1Gv pic.twitter.com/f7y0KhocUK
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 5, 2026
