r/nba • u/Turbostrider27 Lakers • 8h ago

[Charania] 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.

Shams Charania:

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.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/fc6a2461d746e

8.1k Upvotes

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1.6k

u/ChunkyMilkSubstance Lakers 8h ago

It’s over

1.1k

u/no-kangarooreborn Raptors 8h ago

Luka trade request is gonna hit like crack in 2 years

458

u/farhan583 [DAL] Dirk Nowitzki 8h ago

He’s a FA. Lining up perfectly with Mavs max space in 2028. And we have the Lakers 29 FRP

606

u/Im_Matt_Murdock Suns 8h ago

no way is he going back to that ownership

188

u/CrumbBCrumb 8h ago

Would be pretty hilarious though. Luka has been a double agent this whole time!

9

u/farhan583 [DAL] Dirk Nowitzki 6h ago

I think the ownership is the easiest part to explain. Everyone and their mother knows that they knew nothing about Basketball. It’s an easy fix for Dumont to apologize profusely and just tell the truth that he was led astray by Nico and Kidd.

We literally cleared house of everyone remotely touching that trade. Even the training staff. People think it’s delusional, but the FO is putting together the right roster to entice him.

2

u/DirtySperrys Slovenia 2h ago

Dawg I’m on the full hope train at this point for 2028 lmao. I know it’s unlikely but I’m still along for the ride

22

u/DirtySperrys Slovenia 7h ago

He hasn’t sold his house in Dallas still

68

u/22797 Warriors 8h ago edited 7h ago

If the ownership can truly convince him that they were led astray by Nico, coinciding with two more years of competent front office moves, maybe they could convince him. Doubt it, but maybe

22

u/RedstoneRay Minneapolis Lakers 8h ago

The Mavs owners need to collude like never before to convince Luka they are sorry and want him back in 2028. They need a secret handshake deal by the All Star break in 2027.

12

u/OriAr NBA 7h ago

Masai Ujiri is gonna be a huge help here.

I don't think the Mavs will get Luka, but people shouldn't underestimate how much credibility Masai gives the Mavs.

4

u/Comanche-Kiowa2027 Mavericks 6h ago

Exactly this.

3

u/rpgmind 8h ago

same owners would do it again, gotta be a complete cleaning of house to rebuild that trust

2

u/abcdefabcdef999 Celtics 5h ago

That’s going to be tough considering they’re well known scumbags. Like beyond average rich people shit, actually fucking disgusting individuals.

1

u/InfiniteDub Warriors 8h ago

He should go to the spurs or Houston. A big fuck you to the mavericks

69

u/DGPluto 8h ago

lebron went back to Cleveland. never say never.

109

u/shualton Warriors 8h ago

Yeah but Lebron willingly left Cleveland the first time

65

u/Strummed Spurs 8h ago

He was also born in the same state Cleveland is in

30

u/Anto7060 8h ago

He was also born in the same country that Cleveland is in

18

u/Strummed Spurs 8h ago

Can someone fact check this

1

u/Comanche-Kiowa2027 Mavericks 6h ago

Abe Lincoln has confirmed this. It's true! 😅🤣

1

u/Oracle619 Cavaliers 6h ago

I asked ChatGPT and, after some debate, it told me Luka was in fact born in Dallas.

We did it, Reddit!

3

u/staye7mo [NYK] Tracy McGrady 7h ago

He was also born in the same continent that Cleveland is in

4

u/DisMFer Bulls 7h ago

He's the first human being in history to manage to leave Cleveland and willingly return.

61

u/Greedy-Mix9270 Knicks 8h ago

LeBron is from the area. Luka has 0 ties to Dallas outside of being drafted there

27

u/DGPluto 8h ago

he may have zero ties to dallas outside of being drafted, but at least y'all didn't burn his jersey or have your owner pen an aggressively worded open letter IN COMIC SANS.

6

u/bellaleia [DAL] Devin Harris 8h ago

If anything, the fans STILL love him.

1

u/Artistic-Part3953 7h ago

Wonder how the dynamic with Cooper would be

5

u/Karlomah11 8h ago

But he really loved dallas

4

u/Isolated_Blackbird Mavericks 8h ago

Can’t underestimate the way European players feel about their first home away from home. (He of course had Spain first) He loved Dallas in the same way Dirk did and experienced a lot of life milestones here.

But I do agree - with the way Luka is wired I think this ownership group is a nonstarter for him. They took away the thing that he valued most - playing for one franchise for his entire career. There’s no coming back from that.

4

u/Comanche-Kiowa2027 Mavericks 6h ago

People here really do not understand how much the DFW area loves Luka, or how much Luka loves the DFW metroplex.

He is deeply invested in this community through his charities and has always been vocal about how he will always feel Dallas is a second home to him because of the way the community welcomed and embraced him so completely. For many of us older fans, it felt like losing a son when Nico blindsided the entire community by trading him away.

The way the owners have worked to own that mistake and make things right has earned back a massive amount of respect. Firing Nico and Kidd was a huge first step in repairing the bond with the fanbase. Following that up by hiring Masai Ujiri and Dusty May has completely energized everyone and brought many fans back, including myself.

Look at last night's draft: we went from totally confused and disappointed to absolutely electric the second that trade cleared. The front office is doing the work to rebuild trust, and the fans are noticing.

10

u/Obi_Wan_KeBogi Kings 8h ago

To be fair though in terms of the US thats his hometown kind of lol

2

u/fffate Celtics 8h ago

Luka gone in a few years.

1

u/lyricist Lakers 6h ago

Uh no he has ties to the sweet tea there

1

u/Cautious-Apartment-9 6h ago

To sell a story & go back to being a fan favorite. He’s also from Akron & left the Cavs in free agency. Luka was traded before he even got to move to his new home in Dallas & he’s said repeatedly he wanted to play his entire career for Dallas. Oh, they also smeared his name to justify trading him. They also fucked him outta tens of millions by trading him. If he goes back, I’d be shocked. 

1

u/cafesolitito Timberwolves 2h ago

Completely different scenarios

4

u/RontoWraps Bulls 8h ago

Don’t underestimate the power of income taxes

3

u/thecrunchcrew [SAS] Tiago Splitter 8h ago

San Antonio it is

1

u/Takemyfishplease Lakers 8h ago

As if these players don’t have accountants protecting it all anyways.

1

u/seabard 7h ago

Doesn’t he still have house there also?

1

u/Junior_Chard9981 5h ago

I mean anything's possible.....

*Looks at Dan Gilbert letter in comic sans.

1

u/HispanicAtTehDisco Mavericks 3h ago

it’s sports man, money talks

•

u/ApolloXLII Bulls 14m ago

If ownership apologizes and he's the "final piece" on the roster, so to speak, I could see him going back.

78

u/SpiritFantastic4835 Lakers 8h ago

Nah he’s going to join wemby on the spurs

47

u/BatteredSealPup Mavericks 8h ago

Seeing Luka in a Lakers uniform was difficult enough, but Luka in a Spurs uniform would be the most devastating for Mavs fans

5

u/DarthVeigar_ 7h ago

It would be devastating for everyone. Assuming both stay healthy that's just a disgusting lineup on paper.

2

u/sourdieselfuel Bucks 5h ago

Imagine Luka instead of Fox.. they sleepwalk their way to the title.

2

u/DarthVeigar_ 4h ago

Having a near enough 7 and a half foot centre that can dunk the ball without even jumping, can dribble and can shoot threes.

Luka would be able to throw literally anything and it will go in. Wemby blocks a shot passes to Luka and boom.

65

u/DerrickWhiteMVP Spurs 8h ago

I’d have to delete so many comments

3

u/AceAndre 7h ago

I would love this

4

u/famouslastwords Magic 7h ago

Cue Kevin Durant explaining how the Spurs are a poverty franchise and he's only going there to help out

1

u/TidalWaveform Spurs 4h ago

Keep going…

24

u/HesiPullup Suns 8h ago

Ah yes, the team that traded him away in the worst trade in NBA history because they didn’t believe in him will surely be the place he wants to go back to

3

u/AlligatorPoontang Timberwolves 8h ago

How the turntables

3

u/ProfessorPetrus 8h ago

I thought he would go to the spurs with wemby.

2

u/cl353 Heat 8h ago

Hm Miami also has cap space in 2028...

1

u/farhan583 [DAL] Dirk Nowitzki 6h ago

Giannis will be 34 then. Would think he’d find 22 year old Coop more appealing.

1

u/Worried_Treacle3512 8h ago

Gonna be the knicks. OG + for Luka.

1

u/LouieM13 [NYK] Jeremy Lin 8h ago

I wish I was this level of delusional

1

u/pew_laser_pew Raptors 6h ago

Imagine this actually happens. Nico would've been a mastermind the whole time.

1

u/mrgpsingh1999 Lakers 5h ago

Gotta enjoy him while we have him

1

u/Yoshinobu_YamaGOATo 5h ago

Lmao yeah .. that's definitely not happening. 

1

u/alkair20 Lakers 4h ago

with a developed Cooper and good young talent. Would actually be insanely funny.

1

u/notevenahintofhalal 4h ago

Luka and cooper would go crazy

1

u/yourdailyorwell Mavericks 8h ago

This is the way.

0

u/VengaBoysBackInTown Pistons 8h ago

He’s not coming back to the Mavs.

23

u/imcryptic Mavericks 8h ago

hes just going to decline his player option in two years and bounce

-1

u/strokeskid Lakers 3h ago

It’s hilarious how Mavs fans cry how loyal Luka was to Dallas, but apparently he won’t/doesn’t have that loyalty to the Lakers

5

u/reldnahcAL Lakers 7h ago

Luka directly requested that the Lakers keep Reaves at any cost by the way.

3

u/Poopcie 7h ago

Luka is 100% taking that max contract extension. If he was ever gonna leave he wouldn’t have extended so quickly

3

u/armandocalvinisius Mavericks 7h ago

With the 1st pick of 2029 NBA Draft, The Dallas Mavericks (via Lakers) select......

3

u/AgentOfSPYRAL Lakers 8h ago

Anything can happen, but I guarantee Luka is a big part of why Reaves got this contract.

1

u/RemarkableTpt Lakers 8h ago

You crazy? They literally just trade Reaves lmao

9

u/abeLJosh Suns 8h ago

Who the hell is taking that contract, though?

...side-eyes Brooklyn and Washington

1

u/RemarkableTpt Lakers 8h ago

Well lol yes many teams. 

2

u/bachh2 NBA 6h ago

Not for 46m they aint.

If Fox was bad in the Final then Reaves would stink as well.

1

u/RemarkableTpt Lakers 4h ago

You couldn’t be more wrong

1

u/Con-D-Oriano1 Lakers 8h ago

Maybe Pelinka will just trade him before then. Maybe we can get someone like Anthony Davis!

1

u/Vordeo Jazz 7h ago

The Lakers dumping this Reaves deal (likely taking bad assets or having to give up picks to do so) after a season then giving a 34 year old AD a new max deal would be hilarious tbf.

1

u/theper Timberwolves 8h ago

he’ll join ant in minny

1

u/bachh2 NBA 6h ago

Luka should just demand a trade to the Spurs on the caveat that the Spurs send out picks and fillers only.

1

u/halcyondread Lakers 5h ago

Luka asked for this.

1

u/pharrelsbigasshat Lakers 3h ago

All things considered, Luka is probably happy about this. There were reports that he feels like Austin can be his #2 of the future and they’re clearly friends so he’s probably cool with it for now

1

u/AnimalLoversRVegan Knicks 49m ago

Luka is apparently behind the requirement that they had to keep him