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League sources say Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart is available. The Pistons, in search of additional shooting and playmakers, appear ready to rely on seventh-year big man Paul Reed in an increased role. Stewart has two years and a combined $30 million left on his deal (team option in the second season). Detroit, which is believed to be among the suitors for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves if he makes it to unrestricted free agency, is also said to be interested in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Joe.
Run It Back: On a 1-10 scale, Sam Amick thinks the Lakers' chances for bringing back LeBron & Reaves are a 6 👀 "If Austin gets paid... then there's not enough money for LeBron to feel respected, and then I could see him going up the coast to the Warriors."
A source close to Luka Doncic told ESPN that Doncic has kept in touch with James and Reaves since the season ended but hasn't pitched either player on returning to L.A. Most of their conversations, the source said, revolve around golf, as Doncic took up the sport in February and has bonded with his fellow links-obsessed teammates over it.
Ultimately, there’s a strong belief within league circles that if the Lakers offer Austin Reaves close to or the full max, he’ll stay in Los Angeles. However, if the Lakers submit a low-ball offer, Reaves will consider other offers, and the possibility of a sign-and-trade could also emerge. Brooklyn has Reaves on their radar and has the clearest path to offering a max contract outright in free agency with cap space.
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Austin Reaves will decline his $14.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season and enter unrestricted free agency as one of the top players on the market this summer. Declining his player option was always going to be a formality since Reaves has put himself in a position to earn a projected salary of over $40 million per season. Reaves can sign for up to a five-year, projected $239 million deal with the Lakers or a four-year, $177 million deal with another team.
Detroit executive Trajan Langdon publicly expressed his desire to retain forward Tobias Harris, who was the team’s second-leading scorer in the playoffs. The Pistons will also work with Jalen Duren on a new deal amid his restricted free agency. In addition, a Reaves pursuit would require more acrobatics than Simone Biles in the Olympics. Detroit would have to pick up the $4 million team option on Daniss Jenkins, renounce cap holds on Harris, Kevin Huerter, and Malik Beasley, waive Duncan Robinson, likely trade Caris LeVert and one of Paul Reed or Marcus Sasser, and decline Tolu Smith’s $2.4 million team option to be able to offer Reaves a max contract, as outlined by salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan.
Dan Woike on Austin Reaves: League sources said the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are among a group of interested teams that can create space to make competitive offers. Other teams could also emerge.
Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Austin Reaves to have interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered.
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Internally, there’s a strong desire to give Luka Doncic the best-fitting teammates. And in addition to being a bit of a chameleon on the floor, Reaves fits a real roster need as a secondary playmaker who can create his own shot on the ball and be effective off of it. Provided the Lakers address other needs on the wing and at the rim, defensive concerns about a Doncic-and-Reaves pairing are overstated, one team source said. Reaves was also one of the most important voices inside the Lakers’ locker room a season ago, his leadership developing year over year.
If the Lakers were competing against no one, maybe they could be more frugal in the negotiations and try to save every penny possible to throw at players who fit their other needs. If they do that, they risk losing Reaves to a better offer somewhere else. “You can’t let a talent like that walk,” one Western Conference executive said. “That would be a disaster.”
Tim Bontemps: What will LeBron James do? For the first time since James came to Los Angeles eight years ago, there's a legitimate chance he won't be playing for the Lakers next season, either because of retirement or because he has chosen to close out his career elsewhere. The door isn't shut on his return to the Purple and Gold, but it does mean it's a far more interesting summer than usual for James. That's partly because it's unclear what James and the Lakers want to do. Los Angeles wants to begin building its roster around Luka Doncic, and it's going to take a lot of surgery to get this team within the same tier as Oklahoma City or San Antonio. Austin Reaves and his potential max contract will also play a major role. He and the Lakers can begin negotiations on a new contract the day after the NBA Finals conclude. Because of Reaves' $20.9 million cap hold, the Lakers can use their available cap room first and then sign Reaves to a new contract even if it exceeds the salary cap.
Danny Green: I am a big Austin Reaves guy. I think he's very special and in today's market, he's definitely worthy of a max, right? So I know it's tough when you're trying to build a championship team. I think a lot of guys can learn from Jalen Brunson. And I don't expect anybody to take a haircut, but like and maybe in another place he could. I know this taxes in California a little steep, so it's hard to take a cut in California, but I mean I would love for him to stay with the Lakers and be with Luka Doncic. It’d be fun to keep watching them grow together.
