The Utah Jazz could be among the teams to express interest in Los Angeles Lakers breakout star guard Austin Reaves this summer, according to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.
Jazz Might Be Open To Signing Austin Reaves
Reaves, 27, is currently in the third season of his four-year, $53.82 million contract. He’s expected to decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 and sign a new deal as an unrestricted free agent after the season.
His 2026-27 player option deadline is June 29. The five-year veteran reportedly turned down a four-year, $89 million contract offer from L.A. during the offseason.
Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Reaves is eligible to sign a five-year, $241 million deal with the Lakers, and four years, $178.5 million elsewhere. The first-year salary of $41.5 million constitutes about 25% of the salary cap in 2026-27.
Utah could be that team if L.A. is unwilling to make that offer.
“I think the Jazz are going to be a team that has big interest in Austin Reaves this summer. There are going to be teams that make a big max offer for Reaves, and he’s going to have that choice,” O’Connor said Thursday during his YouTube podcast.
“So the Lakers — like, Rich Paul’s not saying it — but I’m sure Rich Paul has that same exact information about where Reaves could go this offseason.”
Reaves Enjoys Playing For Lakers
There is a chance that Reaves would consider taking less money to stay put in L.A.
Reaves told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin in November that he’s “not obsessed over earning every dollar possible on his next deal, sources said, but knows there is a range based on industry standards.”
“I try not to think about it. Honestly. I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves told ESPN. “Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f—king gigantic number that don’t make sense.
“I want to be here, I want to win. I want to do everything that can help this organization be better. So I don’t try to think about those things.”
NBA Veteran Sidelined With Calf Injury
Reaves suffered a mild left calf strain on Dec. 8 and returned to action on Dec. 23.
He then experienced soreness in his calf during the Christmas Day game against the Houston Rockets, forcing him to leave at halftime of the 119-96 loss.
Reaves remains sidelined due to a Grade 2 left gastrocnemius strain. The Lakers announced Dec. 26 that he would miss at least four weeks and undergo a reevaluation this month.
Through 23 appearances (22 starts) this season, Reaves is averaging career highs of 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 35.3 minutes per game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 36.5% from 3-point range.
Earlier this campaign, Reaves scored a career-high 51 points in the Lakers’ 127-120 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 26.
It was the second-highest scoring game by an undrafted player in NBA history, behind only Fred VanVleet, who had 54 at Orlando on Feb. 2, 2021, while with the Toronto Raptors.
Reaves also became the fifth Lakers player this century to score 50 points in a single game, joining Kobe Bryant (25x), LeBron James (3x), Anthony Davis (2x), and Shaquille O’Neal (2x).
