The Los Angeles Lakers added a high-upside contributor to their roster on the first day of training camp. The Luka Doncic-led Western Conference organization elected to sign a recently waived 6-foot-2 guard to assist Luka Doncic in 2025-26.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/lakers as Austin Reaves Would Love to Spend Entire Career With Lakers. Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves recently expressed his desire to stay with the Lakers for the remainder of his career.

The Athletic's Dan Woike reported that he "spoke with team and league sources who expect Reaves to earn more than $35 million a year on his next deal, with sources from two teams (neither being the Lakers) speculating that he could command more than $40 million a year."

Despite being a 21-time All-Star coming off an All-NBA Second Team selection and playing with no financial commitment from the Lakers down the road, LeBron James said his contract situation will not affect his performance this season.

The Lakers reportedly value him and retain Bird rights if he opts out in 2026, but cap constraints tied to other stars like Luka Doncic and LeBron James (both owed more than $45 million in 2025-26) make an immediate larger extension difficult.

All three players are confident that a full training camp will help develop the cohesiveness that they showed glimpses of during their limited time together last season.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is one of the many who were impressed by Luka Doncic's body transformation this offseason.

As the Lakers embark on their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.