Lakers star Austin Reaves deserves big payday but which team will give it to him?

With 8.3 seconds left and the Lakers down 113-110 in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series against the Thunder, Austin Reaves sprinted to the top of the 3-point line, caught an inbounds pass and fired a 27-foot jumper. The ball circled the rim before bouncing out, ending the Lakers’ season. That missed shot launched the team into a world of uncertainty.Will LeBron James return for his 24th season? Will James and Reaves, who are about to become unrestricted free agents, be in Lakers uniforms next year? But none of that mattered in that moment.

There was something James wanted to tell Reaves. “Helluva shot,” James said.“Keep your head up.”Ever since Reaves joined the Lakers as an undrafted player on a two-way contract, he earned James’ respect.

He won him over with his high-basketball IQ, his willingness to accept criticism and his work ethic. Now, five years later, Reaves is on the verge of earning a big contract. Reaves is all but assured to opt out of his $14.9 million player option for next season.He’s eligible for a five-year, $241 max contract extension with the Lakers or a four-year, $178.5 million deal with a different team.The Lakers want to keep Reaves.

And Reaves wants to remain in Los Angeles.He could command something in the ballpark of $40 million a year, which is a dizzying amount of money for a player who went undrafted in 2021. Reaves deserves it. He’s a rising star.

Lakers fans love him.Luka Doncic wants him to remain his teammate. This season, Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points per game on 49% shooting from the field and 36% shooting from beyond the arc.

He became the Lakers’ second option on offense over James, who’s arguably the greatest player of all time.He proved he’s reliable, consistent and able to meet big moments. There was the time he had back-to-back 51- and 41-point performances at the top of the season while James was sidelined with sciatica.

Or the time he purposely missed a free throw...