Austin Reaves signs the biggest contract in history for an undrafted player!

It’s official. Austin Reaves is staying in Los Angeles. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Lakers guard intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30. A historic deal — simply the most lucrative ever given to an undrafted player in the NBA.

PLAYER PROFILE

Austin REAVES

Position(s): Guard

Height: 196 cm

Age: 28 years old (05/29/1998)

Nationality:

2025-2026 Stats / NBA

PTS

22.9

#23

REB

4.6

#154

AST

5.6

#36

A success story worthy of a record-breaking contract

To secure this new deal, Reaves first declined his $14.9 million player option — a bet on himself that has paid off handsomely. The Lakers and his agents, Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, worked over the past ten days to finalize the agreement, as soon as franchises were allowed to negotiate with their own free agents.

The journey of Austin Reaves is one of the greatest stories in modern NBA history. Arriving undrafted in 2021, he first signed a two-way contract before earning a standard contract in September of that same year. Season after season, he climbed the ladder until establishing himself as an undisputed starter alongside Luka Dončić and LeBron James.

Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Reaves declined his $14.9M player option for the new max deal. pic.twitter.com/5T8Ze6v0kF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2026

His progression has been steady: 7.3 points in 2021-22, 13.0 in 2022-23, 15.9 in 2023-24, then 20.2 in 2024-25. The 2025-26 season represented his true peak, with averages of 23.3 points on 49% shooting and 36% from three, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 51 games, despite calf and oblique injuries that slowed him along the way.

A key piece of the project

Rob Pelinka, the Lakers‘ President of Basketball Operations, had made his intentions clear during end-of-season interviews: « He started his journey here as a Laker and made it clear to us that he wanted to continue it as a Laker. We want his odyssey to keep unfolding in Purple and Gold. »

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It is worth noting that Austin Reaves could have pursued an even larger contract, estimated at $241 million over five years. The player clearly chose to leave the franchise some financial flexibility, aware of the roster’s needs in other areas. With this deal, the Lakers retain roughly $50 million in salary cap space to strengthen the team.

The California franchise can now focus on the rest of its offseason, including the recruitment of a quality big man — Jarrett Allen has been mentioned by ESPN. The goal will be to surround the Dončić-Reaves duo with defensive profiles to maximize their offensive potential. The Lakers‘ backcourt is locked in for years to come. The rest of the work, however, is only just beginning…