Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic: the friendship leading the new-look Lakers
The Lakers’ new identity revolves around the Luka Doncic–Austin Reaves duo. After parting ways with LeBron James, Los Angeles is counting on their chemistry to return to championship contention
By making a strategic move before the opening of free agency, the Lakers locked up cornerstone Austin Reaves with a four-year, $180 million contract extension.
Reaves accepted slightly less than his theoretical maximum salary of $185 million to give general manager Rob Pelinka greater financial flexibility, and he’s now set to take over the team’s backcourt alongside Luka Doncic.
The bond between the two, which began after the blockbuster trade that brought the Slovenian star to Los Angeles midway through the 2024-25 season, has long since extended beyond the court, developing into a close friendship in everyday life.
He’s one of my best friends on this planet. We talk pretty much every single day. He’ll often send me videos of his golf swing asking how he can improve, and I keep telling him I’m not a golf instructor
Austin Reaves
The Lakers’ basketball gamble is built around the outstanding chemistry the duo displayed last season, when Reaves posted career highs of 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Whenever LeBron James was forced to miss time, the partnership between the undrafted guard and the Slovenian produced some of the smoothest and most efficient offensive basketball in the league. Reaves’ ability to thrive without the ball perfectly complements Doncic’s elite playmaking, creating a tactical puzzle that opposing defenses struggle to solve.
The roster around them is also changing rapidly. With the additions of Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, along with Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney, and Ziaire Williams, the franchise has added the physicality and rim protection needed to support its stars.
For Reaves, stepping into a leadership role marks the perfect conclusion to a journey that began in 2021 as an undrafted rookie. LeBron’s departure represents a historic transition for the franchise, but the new era of the Lakers already has a clear vision of who will hold the keys to the kingdom.