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Lakers receive bad news as Eastern Conference team prepares $178 million offer for Austin Reaves

The Los Angeles Lakers may have to pay Austin Reaves like a star because the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly ready to test their resolve.

Austin Reaves is set to hit free agency after the best season of his career, and the Lakers cannot treat him like a bargain find anymore.

He is now one of the most sought-after players on the market, and the price tag could soar quickly.

Brooklyn Nets ready to try and steal Austin Reaves from the Lakers

According to The Athletic, the Nets are expected to be serious players for Reaves.

“Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Reaves to have interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered. League sources said the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are among a group of interested teams that can create space to make competitive offers. Other teams could also emerge.”

That is bad news for the Lakers, even if most around the league still expect them to keep him. Reaves declined a four-year, $89.2 million extension last summer because free agency offered a much bigger path.

Austin Reaves proved his value to the Lakers last season

Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in 51 games, shooting 49 percent from the field and 36 percent from three.

A calf injury cost him a possible All-Star push, and a Grade 2 oblique strain affected his playoff rhythm. In six postseason games after missing nearly a month, he still averaged 20 points, four rebounds, and 5.8 assists.

There are concerns about defense, durability, and how he holds up against playoff physicality. But his shot creation, secondary playmaking, and off-ball value are exactly what the Lakers need next to Luka Doncic.

The Athletic also noted Reaves has a real relationship with Doncic, LeBron James, and JJ Redick, and wants to remain in Los Angeles.

Luka Doncic’s history shows why Reaves matters

The Lakers cannot ignore Doncic’s playoff history. His deepest runs have come with dynamic scoring guards beside him.

In 2022, Jalen Brunson helped Dallas reach the Western Conference Finals. In 2024, Kyrie Irving helped Doncic reach the NBA Finals, including a 36-point closeout performance alongside Doncic against Minnesota.

Reaves is not Brunson or Irving yet, but his best season pushed him into that conversation as a high-end offensive guard.

If the Lakers lose him for nothing, they would have no clean way to replace his scoring, playmaking and chemistry. That is why Brooklyn’s expected $178.5 million offer is not just a threat. It is a test of how much Los Angeles values Doncic’s future.