Lakers' $185 million guard reveals what he texted LeBron James after departure

Lakers' $185 million guard reveals what he texted LeBron James after departure originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

>Los Angeles Lakers star guard Austin Reaves shares what he told LeBron James when he found out that the 41-year-old would be departing the team this summer.

>Reaves, who was on the golf course the day James decided to part ways with the Lakers, told the four-time NBA champion that he ruined his day.

> “I texted him,” Reaves said of his initial reaction to James bolting from Los Angeles, “and told him I was having a great day on the golf course until he ruined it.”

>James broke the internet on June 30 when ESPN's Shams Charania shared the news that the future Hall of Famer would be finding a new team for the 2026-27 season.

>While it didn't come as a complete shock, many expected James to remain in Los Angeles, considering his best chance to win another title was with the Lakers.

>However, James mentioned how he is prioritizing "happiness" with a chance to join a competitive ball club and an organizational fit.

>The four-time NBA MVP played eight seasons in Los Angeles, five of those with the undrafted Reaves.

Lakers’ new era begins with Austin ReavesThe 28-year-old Reaves was once one of the youngest players on the roster. As things stand in early July, he will enter the upcoming season as the second-oldest player on the team.

>It's a new era in Los Angeles that will be led by Reaves and six-time All-Star Luka Doncic.

>The Lakers prioritized Reaves, signing him to a massive four-year, $185 million contract, which includes a player option for the 2029-30 season. It is the richest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history.

>The Arkansas native is significantly richer, but he'll be so without the veteran forward wearing the purple and gold.

> “I don’t have enough time to explain how much he means to me and my career and what he’s done for me,” Reaves said.

> “There’s nothing but love and respect,” Reaves said. “And when he comes to LA, I need to see him out on the golf course. Maybe play a couple holes or something.”

> Reaves will enter the 2026-27 season as the clear-cut second-best player on the Lakers and one of the central pieces of the franchise’s next chapter.

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