The Los Angeles Lakers have officially locked in one of the cornerstones of their future, announcing Sunday that they have officially re-signed Austin Reaves to a new long-term deal.
By opting out of his player option this summer, Reaves bet on himself following a career-best campaign, and the move paid off in a historic way.
Austin Reaves is officially back with the #Lakers: pic.twitter.com/E3nJ4ZFzc6
— Carlos Yakimowich (@CarlosYakJr) July 12, 2026
His new contract, a four-year, $185 million maximum deal first reported by ESPN, makes him the highest-paid undrafted free agent in NBA history, capping one of the league’s most remarkable success stories.
Reaves has steadily improved every season with the Lakers since coming out of Oklahoma in 2021 as an undrafted free agent.
He went from averaging 7.3 points per game as a rookie to a career-high 23.3 points per game last season, an increase of 16 points per game over five seasons.
“Austin’s relentless pursuit of improvement, fierce competitiveness and commitment to winning have made him an integral part of our organization,” Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka said in a team statement. “From the moment he joined the Lakers, Austin has embodied the work ethic and selfless approach that define our culture. We’re thrilled to continue building with him as a cornerstone of our team as we pursue our championship goals.”
Reaves is coming off the best season of his NBA career.
His scoring average was the highest by an undrafted player since Hall of Famer Moses Malone averaged 23.8 points during the 1985-86 campaign.
The Arkansas native also continued climbing the Lakers' record books.
Reaves became just the second undrafted player in franchise history to score 5,000 career points exclusively with the organization, joining George Mikan.
His season featured several signature moments, including a career-high 51-point performance against the Sacramento Kings early in the season and then three days later, he tied his career high with 16 assists before knocking down a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Reaves also formed one of the NBA’s most dangerous backcourts alongside Dončić. The duo combined to average 56.8 points per game, the highest-scoring backcourt in the league during the 2025-26 season.
Through five NBA seasons, Reaves has appeared in 331 regular-season games, averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 48.3% from the field. He has also averaged 17.3 points across 32 career playoff appearances and started every postseason game during the Lakers’ run to the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
With Reaves officially back in L.A. on a historic new contract, the Lakers have secured one of the NBA’s top rising guards for the foreseeable future.