Report: Austin Reaves bigger offseason priority for Lakers than LeBron James

The Lakers still hope LeBron James returns for another season.

But according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Austin Reaves may actually rank as the organization’s bigger long-term priority.

Speaking on his podcast, Buha suggested Los Angeles would place a greater emphasis on securing Reaves’ future than committing major money to James beyond next season.

“If it comes down to whether you’d rather pay Austin $40 million per year for the next five years or LeBron $40 million for one year, they’re going to prioritize the long-term contract,” Buha said. “Austin is more of a priority for the Lakers than LeBron. That’s just a fact.”

The comments come as uncertainty continues to surround James’ future. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has not yet announced whether he plans to return for a 24th season, though recent reports have indicated winning remains his top priority if he continues playing.

Meanwhile, Reaves has emerged as one of the Lakers’ most important pieces alongside Luka Doncic.

The 27-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 23.3 points while continuing his rise from undrafted free agent to cornerstone player.

Meanwhile, the expectation remains that Los Angeles will wait for James to determine his plans before making any major decisions.

But if Buha is correct, the Lakers may already know which player they view as their most important long-term investment.