Austin Reaves Sends Honest Message About Lakers Future Before Free Agency

The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to have a very busy offseason once NBA free agency officially begins on June 30.

The two biggest names tied to the organization heading into the summer are LeBron James - if he decides to return for a 24th NBA season - and Austin Reaves, who is widely expected to decline his player option in pursuit of a long-term contract.

Los Angeles has already made its desire to re-sign both players clear, but keeping Reaves appears to be a major priority for the franchise, and the feeling seemingly goes both ways.

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TMZ briefly caught up with Reaves at the airport this week and asked about his future in Los Angeles, where he hinted at wanting to run it back alongside James and Luka Doncic.

"Run it back," Austin Reaves said when asked about returning to the Lakers.

When questioned about his looming free agency and what roster moves the Lakers should make this offseason, Reaves kept his answer brief.

"I don't know. I don't get into all that," he said. "I've got to sign first."

Reaves is coming off a career year in which he ranked second on the Los Angeles Lakers in scoring at 23.3 points per game.

He also averaged 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49.0 percent from the field, 36.0 percent from three-point range, and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line.

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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 2:20 PM.