{"id":161071,"date":"2025-09-30T18:30:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T22:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=161071"},"modified":"2025-09-30T18:33:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T22:33:28","slug":"austin-reaves-gets-closer-to-swapping-lakers-for-western-rival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/09\/30\/austin-reaves-gets-closer-to-swapping-lakers-for-western-rival\/","title":{"rendered":"Austin Reaves Gets Closer To Swapping Lakers For Western Rival"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES \u2014 Austin Reaves<\/a> recently turned down an $89.2 million extension with the Lakers. The decision isn\u2019t reckless. It\u2019s strategic. \u201cIt\u2019s a business at the end of the day. That doesn\u2019t mean that I don\u2019t wanna be in LA. I wanna be in LA for my whole career. And hopefully we can make that happen,\u201d Reaves says. Still, declining that extension signals risk. Reaves bets on himself, knowing this season could define his career\u2019s trajectory. The guard understands how much is at stake\u2014prime years, money, and a franchise\u2019s commitment. These factors point to a potential future for Austin Reaves in Utah playing for the Jazz<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Austin Reaves Gets Closer To Swapping Lakers For Utah Jazz<\/h2>\n

The Money Question<\/h3>\n
\"The
Feb 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots against Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even now, Reaves admits the Lakers\u2019 offer stuns him.<\/p>\n

\u201cStill to this day, I sit there and think about, relative to any life, that is a lot of money \u2014 a lot, a lot, a lot of money,\u201d Reaves says<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s way more money than if you would\u2019ve ever had. \u2026 If you told me when I was in 10th grade \u2026 it\u2019s way more money than I thought was ever possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

But league insiders expect his market to explode. \u201cLeague sources who expect Reaves to earn more than $35 million a year on his next deal, with sources from two teams (neither being the Lakers) speculating that he could command more than $40 million a year,\u201d The Athletic\u2019s Dan Woike reveals.<\/p>\n

Unrestricted free agency looms in 2026. Reaves holds a $14.8 million player option but almost certainly declines it. His four-year, $53.8 million deal already underscores how undervalued he is.<\/p>\n

A Crucial Season<\/h3>\n

Reaves enters training camp carrying both pressure and opportunity. Last season he averaged at least 20 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds. Only 12 other players match that output.<\/p>\n

But his poor series against Minnesota, played through a painful toe injury, raises doubts. Critics want change. Robert Horry even suggested<\/a> on the \u201cBig Shot Bob\u201d podcast that Reaves mirrors Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a> too closely, urging the Lakers to consider a sign-and-trade.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where the Austin Reaves\u2013Jazz connection gains steam.<\/p>\n

Utah\u2019s Complicated Future<\/h3>\n

Walker Kessler\u2019s<\/a> contract situation opens the door. The Utah big man is frustrated after failing to land a rookie extension.<\/p>\n

Tony Jones of The Athletic<\/em> reported<\/a>: \u201cThe Utah Jazz and Walker Kessler will not reach an agreement on a rookie-scale contract extension, league sources tell The Athletic, which clears the way for the starting center to reach restricted free agency next summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kessler has emerged as an elite rim protector, averaging 9.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks early in his career. Utah still views him as a cornerstone, but financial pressure builds. Multiple extension-eligible players squeeze the Jazz cap sheet starting in 2026.<\/p>\n

Recent reports reveal the Lakers and Jazz already discussed a framework involving both players. The Jazz are pressing Los Angeles to include Reaves and two first-round picks in a package for Kessler. The Lakers balk at the steep price, but the cost should drop if L.A. offers distant, unprotected picks with swap rights.<\/p>\n

If Austin Reaves hits the market, the Lakers and Jazz collide in negotiations. With over $172 million projected cap holds on the books, the Lakers could put an offer sheet that’s too steep for a selling Utah team. Utah, meanwhile, may gamble big on a guard who brings shot creation and star power.<\/p>\n

Reaves Keeps His Options Open<\/h3>\n

Through all the speculation, Reaves insists loyalty still matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be in L.A. I want to continue to play Virginia Country Club on off days. It\u2019s not like we\u2019re trying to just whack \u2019em over the head for more money than what I deserve. We just want to get what we feel like I\u2019ve put the work in to get,\u201d Reaves says.<\/p>\n

Still, the Austin Reaves\u2013Jazz rumors don\u2019t fade. For now, his bet on himself continues. This season decides whether he remains a Laker\u2014or if a new chapter begins in Utah. In Utah, he will get a legitimate shot at beconing an All-Star.<\/p>\n

LOS ANGELES \u2014 Austin Reaves recently turned down an $89.2 million extension with the Lakers. The decision isn\u2019t reckless. It\u2019s strategic. \u201cIt\u2019s a business at the end of the day. That doesn\u2019t mean that I don\u2019t wanna be in LA. I wanna be in LA for my whole career. And hopefully we can make that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":161079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,26,3,4721,24],"tags":[50244,4556,50251,297,4513],"class_list":["post-161071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-lakers","category-news","category-trade-rumors","category-jazz","tag-2025-26-nba-season","tag-austin-reaves","tag-nba-contract","tag-nba-free-agency","tag-walker-kessler"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161071"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161082,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161071\/revisions\/161082"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}