Austin Reaves makes Luka Doncic claim after declining Lakers max contract extension

Austin Reaves has refuted suggestions he doesn’t enjoy playing with Luka Doncic just days after he declined a max contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Austin Reaves’ Lakers contract situation

The 27-year-old turned down a four-year deal worth $89.2 million and is instead set to play out the third season of the four-year, $54 million contract he signed in 2023.

By declining his player option for 2026/27, he will become a free agent in the summer of 2026, which means he will almost certainly be in line for a significantly more lucrative deal wherever he signs on. Anywhere other than Los Angeles would be a big surprise.

There has been lots of speculation about the reason for Reaves’ decision, with some claiming the guard’s reluctance to play alongside new Lakers superstar Doncic may have had something to do with it.

Reaves issues Luka Doncic statement

While many players may not have felt the need to respond to such rumors, they have clearly bothered Reaves, to the extent that his agent issued the following statement: “Austin has nothing but the utmost respect for Luka and truly enjoys playing alongside him. Any suggestion to the contrary is completely false. He’s excited to be on the court with Luka - both now and in the future.”

The very fact the Lakers offered Reaves a max contract extension shows their intention to build the franchise around him - and Doncic - in the long term. It is believed the guard wants to stay in California, with the two parties likely to reach an agreement in the summer of 2026, which will see Reaves land a bigger payday.

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