Seeing just how great Austin Reaves has been to start the new NBA season will inevitably spark questions for some of whether the Los Angeles Lakers guard wants to explore a situation with an expanded role, or otherwise. The NBA rumor mill does not back up that line of thinking.
Perhaps there are other teams who are eyeing up Reaves and imagining a Jalen Brunson-type of poaching from the Lakers in the 2026 offseason. However, Marc Stein did not believe the rising star would give those rival teams such an opportunity when the time comes.
"There is no sense at this point that Austin Reaves is looking anywhere else," Stein said during an appearance on the ALL NBA Podcast. "Going undrafted and becoming a Laker has been tremendous for Austin Reaves. ... His future, I think he would say that he wants it to be in Laker land."
The NBA insider was then asked if he had a sense of other teams lurking around Reaves and wanting the opportunity to sign him next offseason. Stein did say there were 'definitely' teams monitoring his situation. However, the ultimate conclusion was that Reaves wants to be in Los Angeles, and the Lakers feel the exact same way.
Austin Reaves’ next chapter will be written in the same Lakers storybook
There has never been any notion that the man who worked his way up the Lakers' developmental system had any interest in departing from Los Angeles at any point of the process. Reaves has reassured everyone at every turn that staying with his current team is what he wants.
The price of Reaves' next contract is definitely going up with the type of performances being put on. The Lakers star has proven capable of playing the part of the primary, secondary, or tertiary star, to some capacity.
Not only does Reaves excel in all of those roles, but the malleability to adapt and thrive is invaluable on its own. Whatever is needed of him will typically be provided.
Luka Doncic has quickly taken to enjoying life in Los Angeles with Reaves too. A clear friendship is blossoming between the backcourt partners, and that rapidly-developing chemistry will be tough to replace for the Lakers, not that the thought should cross their mind in the first place.
If Los Angeles continues to morph into a more convincing contender as the season passes, an already easy decision will be made that much simpler. Reaves' future is in Los Angeles.