Following a tumultuous yet transformative season for the Los Angeles Lakers, marked by the acquisition of superstar Luka Doncic but ending prematurely with a disappointing first-round playoff loss, significant questions emerged regarding the team`s path forward.
Key questions loomed: Could the Lakers secure a starting center to complement Doncic, especially after a failed trade for Mark Williams and benching Jaxson Hayes in the playoffs? Was LeBron James facing his final summer in the league? Could they acquire more versatile two-way players to compete with top teams like the champion Oklahoma City Thunder? What would the second year under coach JJ Redick entail?
However, the most significant development, one that few anticipated, was the Buss family`s agreement to sell a majority ownership stake in the Lakers to businessman Mark Walter for a staggering $10 billion valuation.
Although Walter`s statement confirmed Jeanie Buss would remain the team`s governor, overseeing daily operations, it was clear that alterations to the Lakers` flawed roster were essential for the team to genuinely contend next season.
The assessment of the Lakers` current standing as free agency approaches depends heavily on one`s perspective.
On one hand, the team achieved a 50-win season and secured the No. 3 seed in JJ Redick`s debut year as coach. The midseason trade for Doncic was successful, with him integrating effectively alongside James and Austin Reaves, even with limited practice time due to a calf injury upon arrival.
Conversely, their season ended in a first-round defeat against the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. By the series` end, Redick had seemingly lost confidence in his starting center, benching Hayes for the final game-and-a-half. Furthermore, the combination of the team`s core pieces isn`t seamlessly perfect.
Doncic and Reaves present defensive challenges and can sometimes overlap offensively, while James, heading into his 23rd season, is likely to experience some decline, even if only in his availability.
In his post-season exit interview, Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka anticipated a busy summer ahead.
There is going to be a lot of movement around the NBA. It just feels that way. There`s just so many aggressive leaders and organizations that are expecting now success. So, I think there will be a lot of opportunities for us to look at. I really do. I`m excited about the offseason, and what will come our way.
Judging by the significant league activity already observed, including trades during the NBA Finals period when major deals typically pause – such as Memphis sending Desmond Bane to Orlando and Phoenix trading Kevin Durant to Houston – Pelinka`s prediction proved accurate.
In the days following the Thunder`s championship victory, further moves occurred: Boston traded Jrue Holiday to Portland and Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta, while New Orleans dealt CJ McCollum to Washington. Thus far, the Lakers have remained spectators.
They were, however, linked to one specific transaction. Mark Williams was traded to Phoenix for the 29th pick and a protected 2029 first-rounder – a package reportedly similar to what the Lakers had offered Charlotte for him in February.
On the first night of the NBA draft, despite numerous picks changing hands, the Lakers were inactive, lacking a first-round selection (previously traded to New Orleans as part of the 2019 Anthony Davis deal).
Their resources available to improve the team this summer are notably restricted.
In terms of free agency, the Lakers are primarily limited to the taxpayer midlevel exception, valued at $5.7 million, as LeBron James is anticipated to opt into the final year of his contract worth $52.6 million, according to sources.
On the trade front, assets like Dalton Knecht and the Lakers` 2031 first-round pick remain valuable components for potential offers. Expiring contracts such as Rui Hachimura ($18.3M), Gabe Vincent ($11.5M), and Maxi Kleber ($11M) could also be used by Pelinka in his search for a center.
Pelinka explicitly stated during his post-season remarks that Austin Reaves would not be traded, expressing very high confidence in the core trio.
The level of confidence in Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Luca Doncic is at an all-time high still. I think those three guys have incredible promise playing together. And we will collectively do a better job to make sure they`re surrounded with the right pieces to have ultimate success.
Despite these assurances, rumors circulated linking L.A. to trade discussions for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and Miami Heat wing Andrew Wiggins. However, representatives for both Reaves and Vincent were reportedly not contacted by any involved teams, which is atypical as a trade approaches completion, sources indicated.
Kessler was one of the centers the Lakers reportedly inquired about last season before the Mark Williams trade fell through, but Utah`s asking price of multiple first-round picks was deemed too high by sources. The 23-year-old 7-footer averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds (leading the league with 4.6 offensive boards), and 2.4 blocks in his third year.
Kessler`s age aligns well with Doncic`s timeline. Additionally, he is due only $4.9 million next season and would have a relatively small cap hold in summer 2026, offering L.A. flexibility to pursue other free agents while retaining his Bird rights for a future extension.
Other big men internally considered by the Lakers since last season include Atlanta`s Onyeka Okongwu, Brooklyn`s Nic Claxton, and Portland`s Robert Williams III, according to sources. Potential free-agent targets for the center position include veterans Clint Capela, Al Horford, and Brook Lopez.
The remainder of the roster is expected to be filled via veteran minimum contracts and second-round draft picks. On Thursday, L.A. made moves in the second round, trading up from No. 55 to No. 45 (sending cash to Chicago) and then trading No. 45 and more cash to Minnesota to select Arkansas forward Adou Thiero at No. 36.
Pelinka commented to Spectrum Sportsnet post-draft that Thiero, described as an athletic 6-8, 220-pound forward, could fit the “archetype” similar to what OG Anunoby offers the New York Knicks.
Meanwhile, attention remains on LeBron James, who sources anticipate will opt into his $52.6 million player option. James, turning 41 in December, recently returned to on-court activities after suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee during the playoffs.
Before his return to the court, he had reportedly been training in the weight room with his son, Lakers guard Bronny James – their first extensive offseason training together since before last summer`s Paris Olympics. While James has considered retirement annually since 2023, a source close to his thinking indicated he is not entering the upcoming season with certainty that it will be his final one.
Austin Reaves, for his part, declined the Lakers` four-year, $89.2 million contract extension offer this week, a decision sources described as expected.
In summer 2026, Reaves is eligible to sign a four-year, $98 million extension. Alternatively, he could opt out of the final year of his current deal to become an unrestricted free agent, potentially signing a contract worth 25% of the 2026-27 salary cap.
Sources indicated the Lakers made the offer knowing Reaves would likely decline, primarily to signal their strong interest in him and avoid conveying a lack of commitment. Both the team and Reaves are reportedly motivated to reach an agreement next summer.
Forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who underwent left ankle surgery post-season, faces a Sunday deadline to opt out of the final year of his contract, valued at $15.4 million for next season. He is eligible for an extension before free agency officially begins on Monday.
According to ESPN`s Bobby Marks, the Lakers can offer Finney-Smith a three-year, $54 million extension until Saturday. From Sunday to Monday, they can offer a four-year, $90.2 million extension, replacing his player option with a new salary structure.
If Finney-Smith chooses to opt in to his $15.4 million deal for next season, he would be eligible for a four-year, $96.5 million contract after the free agent moratorium lifts on July 6. A source familiar with the situation noted Finney-Smith`s interest in staying with L.A. but suggested he might seek a multiyear deal elsewhere if opting in is the only path to remain a Laker.
The outcome regarding Finney-Smith`s future holds significant implications for L.A.`s options. Should he depart, the Lakers would have essentially forfeited three second-round picks for a half-season rental acquired from the Brooklyn Nets. They would also lose a well-liked locker room presence and a player in whom coach Redick places implicit trust.
However, his departure would unlock the full midlevel exception of $14.1 million for L.A., which could be utilized to sign multiple free agents seeking contracts above the veteran minimum. Furthermore, any unused portion of the MLE could allow the Lakers to absorb additional salary in a potential trade.
And then, central to the Lakers` future, is 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic, poised to be the face of the franchise.
Beginning August 2, the Lakers are eligible to offer Doncic a four-year, $229 million contract extension. According to Marks, Doncic could also opt for a three-year, $165 million extension with a player option in 2028, which would enable him to sign a maximum deal in 2028 accounting for 35% of the salary cap for five seasons.
While the specific financial structure of Doncic`s extension remains to be determined, there are no indications of an impending split. A source close to Doncic viewed Mark Walter`s purchase of the majority stake positively.
You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself. And his track record speaks for itself. … [Doncic] wants to win. This owner`s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.
Additionally, Doncic remains motivated by how the Dallas Mavericks handled his trade and the disappointing conclusion to the Lakers` season, leading him to commit to a rigorous offseason training and nutrition program, sources indicated.
He will also have a direct link to the Lakers` coaching staff this summer, as Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean will serve as an assistant coach for the Slovenian national team during the FIBA EuroBasket tournament where Doncic will compete for his home country, sources confirmed.
In conclusion, the Lakers possess an ascending star in Doncic, a promising coach in Redick, and a wealthy owner in Walter, setting a strong foundation for the future. However, significant work is still required to fully capitalize on the immediate opportunity presented by the current roster, especially with LeBron James nearing the end of his career.
Pelinka reiterated the team`s commitment, stating,
We`re going to turn over every stone and whatever resources the collective bargaining agreement gives us, we`re going to use to the utmost. We won`t rest until we get it right.
