What happened: ESPN's Bobby Marks laid out Austin Reaves' projected salary breakdown with the Los Angeles Lakers, starting at $41.3M in 2026-27 and rising each season. The figures climb to $44.6M in 2027-28, $47.9M in 2028-29 and $51.2M in 2029-30. The annual escalators track the four-year arc of his new max contract.

Why it matters: The numbers put hard figures behind Reaves' four-year, $185M max re-signing, locking a core piece alongside the Lakers' top-end salary for the rest of the decade. A backloaded structure means Los Angeles carries an increasingly heavy commitment as it tries to build a contender around its stars. It also shapes how much flexibility the front office has to add talent in future offseasons.

What to watch: Watch how the rising cap hits affect the Lakers' roster-building moves and what supporting pieces they can afford around Reaves in the 2026-27 season.