"Dennis Schroder all over again" - NBA fans react to Austin Reaves turning down $90 million contract extension to make more money in free agency

On Thursday, The Athletic's Dan Woike reported that LA Lakers star Austin Reaves turned down a four-year, $90 million extension from the team. Reaves has two years left on his current deal with a player option for the final year. Instead of securing his future in the league, the Lakers' third option plans on seeking a more lucrative deal in free agency.

Reaves was key for the Lakers in 2024-25. He made 73 appearances, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists, while shooting 46% (37.7% from 3-point range). At times, Reaves showed the ability to carry LA's offense by himself, recording multiple 30-point games.

His scoring ability makes him an attractive option for many. Still, fans fear Reaves is headed down the same path as Dennis Schroder, who lost out on nearly $84 million after rejecting a contract extension with the Lakers.

“Dennis Schroder all over again, I like Reaves, but he’s not a 100m+ player,” one fan said.

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Another fan said:

As Reaves made his intention to test free agency clear, fans immediately began to call for a trade.

One fan said:

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One fan commented:

How Austin Reaves could lose millions by repeating Dennis Schroder’s mistake

Dennis Schroder reportedly turned down a four-year, $84 million extension when he first arrived in LA during the 2020-21 season. Schroder declined, intending to sign a more lucrative deal in free agency, the same as Reaves. Unfortunately, no team in the league was willing to offer him a similar deal.

A year later, Schroder signed a one-year, $5.9 million deal with the Boston Celtics. He returned to the Lakers in 2022-23 on a one-year, $2.6 million contract. While Schroder’s decision to bet on himself was admirable, it cost him millions of dollars.

Now, Reaves could be headed down the same path. At 27, he has come to life, averaging over 20 ppg for the first time in his career. But, there’s no guarantee that Reaves can manage his level of play for two more seasons.

If his numbers drop, he could lose millions as he tries to pursue more money in free agency.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Ribin Peter