Lakers Star Turns Down $89M, Wants Tyler Herro Deal: Report

Los Angeles Lakers homegrown star Austin Reaves will be looking to cash in next summer after he declined the Lakers’ four-year, $89.2 million offer earlier this offseason.

According to NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin, Reaves wants to be paid “in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year (and Herro is a good comp in a lot of ways).”

Herro, the 13th overall pick in 2019, signed a rookie-scale extension worth $130 million over four years in 2022. He has since blossomed into an All-Star as the Miami Heat‘s leading scorer and playmaker last season.

Two years older than Herro, Reaves could have been that leading scorer, playmaker type of player on a bad-to-fringe play-in team. Last season, Reaves was the clear-cut third-best player on the Lakers roster behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who was later swapped for Luka Doncic.

Austin Reaves Vows to Be Better in Contract Year

Reaves’ role for next season remains the same, with James, also on a contract year, still playing at an All-NBA level and with Doncic projected to be an MVP candidate with his much-ballyhooed slimmed-down body.

“If Reaves shows this season that he can be a high-level scorer next to Luka Doncic and can step up his game in the playoffs, the Lakers gladly will pay that much to keep him (and Reaves will want to stay). However, if he struggles again in the playoffs, the Lakers — who will have a lot of cap space — may question whether that is the best way to spend their money,” Helin wrote.

Getty Austin Reaves vows to be better next season.

Reaves averaged 16.2 points, on 41.1% overall shooting and 31.9% from the 3-point arc, 3.6 assists against 2.8 turnovers in their five-game loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

It was a big letdown from Reaves, who averaged a career-best 20.2 points on 46% overall shooting and 37.7% from the 3-point line, 4.8 assists against 2.2 turnovers in the regular season.

Reaves vows to be better for the Lakers next season. Asked about his plans on how to better complement the Lakers’ star duo, Reaves had a straightforward answer.

“Just play better,”  Reaves told reporters after their playoff exit. “I feel like I’m talented enough to do that. As I feel like I’ve proved over and over again throughout my whole life.

“There are millions of people who would have never known me if I were never in this position, because quite frankly, nobody thought I was ever going to be in this position. So, I’ve continued to prove myself over and over again, and I’m going to go to work and do the same thing next year. That’s really it.”

Laker for Life?

Reaves will be eligible for 25% of the Lakers’ or any team’s salary cap in the 2026-27 season if he opts out of the final year of his contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season.

By ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks’ calculation, Reaves’ first-year starting salary in a max contract next offseason would be a staggering $42.5 million, more than Herro’s annual salary.

Will the Lakers offer the full maximum? That’s the biggest question that awaits an answer next summer.

Nevertheless, both sides are motivated to get a deal done next summer, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Reaves, who will earn just $13.9 million next season, has been clear about his desire to remain a Laker for life.

“I love the fans. I Love the weather, love the golf. And obviously, the Lakers are the best organization in basketball,” Reaves said at his June youth camp. “I don’t pay attention to [the trade rumors]. I keep my head down, work, and I feel like that’s one of the reasons I’m where I’m at.”