Austin Reaves and Jenna Barber Announce Big Move Before Lakers' New Era

Austin Reaves is entering the most important season of his career, and he’s doing it with a major life change off the court. His girlfriend, Jenna Barber, announced that the couple has found a home in the Los Angeles area and will be moving in together — a big step that comes just as the Lakers begin a new era without LeBron James.

Barber shared the news on Instagram with a simple but telling update: “Currently: Got a house / Graduation in Dec. / THREE more months long distance!!!!”

That “three more months” is the key. Barber is currently a graduate student at the Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, Missouri. She’s expected to graduate in December, according to the announcement. Until then, the couple will be splitting time between St. Louis and Los Angeles — a long-distance stretch that has a clear finish line.

The timing is no accident. The 2026-27 NBA season is shaping up to be a defining one for Reaves and the Lakers. LeBron James is gone, having signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. That leaves Luka Doncic as the unquestioned centerpiece in Los Angeles, with Reaves expected to step into a major role alongside him.

Reaves is coming off a career year. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. That production earned him a four-year, $185 million contract extension from the Lakers this offseason — a commitment that signals the franchise sees him as a core piece of its future.