Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Career earnings: $14.5 million
There was a tight race for the best two-way-contract success story between Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves and the next player on this list. Ultimately, despite the next player on this list having higher career earnings and higher projected career earnings by the time their respective contracts expire, we still went with Reaves simply because, in a vacuum, he’s the better player.
Reaves never actually got NBA minutes while on a two-way contract, impressing L.A. brass enough to get his contract converted to a standard one just ahead of the 2021-22 season, his rookie year.
Reaves, a good playmaker, foul-drawer and three-level scorer, got Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player votes by his second season and has been even better in this, his third NBA campaign, putting up 15.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 49.5 percent shooting.
The former Oklahoma standout got a well-deserved four-year, $53.8 million contract last offseason, one that will take his projected full career earnings to $56.3 million by the time it expires in the summer of 2027. Reaves does have a player option on 2026-27, however, one that he will almost certainly choose to opt out of in order to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026.
For the latest Austin Reaves rumors and salary info, click here.
