Following a season of significant change and upheaval for the Los Angeles Lakers, one that saw the arrival of superstar Luka Doncic but culminated in a disappointing early playoff exit in the first round, serious questions emerged regarding the team`s path forward.
Key questions included: Could the Lakers acquire a starting center to complement Doncic, especially after abandoning a trade for Charlotte`s Mark Williams at the deadline and benching Jaxson Hayes during the playoffs? Would this summer mark LeBron James` final one in the league? Could they find more players capable on both ends of the court to compete with contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder, this year`s champions? What would head coach JJ Redick`s second season look like?
What no one anticipated, or even thought to consider, was the most monumental piece of Lakers news in decades: the Buss family, owners since 1979, agreed to sell a majority stake in the franchise to businessman Mark Walter in a deal valuing the team at $10 billion.
While Walter`s statement confirmed that Jeanie Buss will remain the team`s governor and continue to oversee day-to-day operations “for the foreseeable future,” modifications to the Lakers` roster, which showed flaws, will be necessary for them to be a legitimate title contender next season.
The perceived distance of the Lakers from championship contention largely depends on the perspective taken regarding their current state as free agency begins.
One viewpoint highlights the positives: L.A. won 50 games in Redick`s debut season, securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They acquired Doncic mid-season, and he successfully integrated with existing stars James and Austin Reaves, despite limited practice time due to arriving with a left calf strain.
Conversely, the team lost to the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. By the series` end, Redick had lost confidence in his starting center, benching Hayes for the final game and a half. Furthermore, the primary pieces of the roster don`t fit together perfectly.
Doncic and Reaves present defensive challenges and sometimes have redundant roles offensively. James, approaching his 41st birthday in December, is bound to experience some level of decline, even if it`s only in his availability.
In his exit interview after the loss to the Wolves, Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka predicted a busy summer for the league and his team.
Pelinka stated: “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.”
Based on the activity that has already occurred, including trades that happened even during the NBA Finals when major business typically pauses – such as Memphis trading 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, other significant trades took place, including Boston trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, and New Orleans dealing CJ McCollum. So far, the Lakers have remained on the periphery.
However, they were connected to one specific trade. Mark Williams was sent to Phoenix for a package (the No. 29 pick and a protected 2029 first-round pick) that was reportedly similar to the offer the Lakers had made to the Hornets for Williams in February.
On the first night of the NBA draft, numerous picks were exchanged, but the Lakers, lacking a first-round selection (having traded it to New Orleans years ago as part of the Anthony Davis deal), were unable to participate in the early action.
Their assets for improving the team this summer are limited.
The primary mechanism the Lakers are projected to have available in free agency is the taxpayer midlevel exception, valued at $5.7 million. This is because sources indicate LeBron James is expected to opt into the final year of his contract, worth $52.6 million.
On the trade market, assets like Dalton Knecht and the team`s 2031 first-round pick remain valuable positive assets. Expiring contracts, such as Rui Hachimura`s ($18.3 million), Gabe Vincent`s ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber`s ($11 million), could also be utilized as Pelinka seeks to acquire a center.
Pelinka indicated that Austin Reaves would not be traded when discussing the team`s core after the season ended.
Pelinka stated: “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 Pelinka`s comments, rumors recently circulated linking L.A. to potential trade talks involving Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and Miami Heat wing Andrew Wiggins. Sources reported that representatives for both Reaves and Vincent were not contacted about any involved teams, which is standard procedure when a trade is nearing completion.
Kessler was a center the Lakers inquired about last season prior to the failed Mark Williams trade, according to sources. However, Utah`s asking price – multiple first-round picks – was deemed too high. 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 NBA season.
Beyond his age aligning with Doncic`s timeline, Kessler is owed only $4.9 million next season. He would also have a relatively small cap hold in the summer of 2026, offering the Lakers flexibility to pursue other free agents while also holding his Bird rights, allowing them to extend him.
Sources indicate the Lakers also contacted the Atlanta Hawks last season about their athletic 6-foot-10 big man, Onyeka Okongwu. Other centers under contract that the Lakers have internally considered since last season reportedly include Brooklyn`s Nic Claxton and Portland`s Robert Williams III. Among potential free agent big men targets are veterans Clint Capela, Al Horford, and Brook Lopez.
The remainder of the roster will likely be filled through veteran minimum contracts and players acquired in the second round of the draft. On Thursday, L.A. moved up 10 spots in the second round by trading the No. 55 pick and cash to Chicago for their pick at No. 45. They then traded the No. 45 pick and more cash to Minnesota to draft Arkansas forward Adou Thiero at No. 36 overall.
Speaking with Spectrum Sportsnet after the draft, Pelinka described Thiero, an athletic 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward, as potentially fitting the “archetype” of a player like OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks.
Discussing Adou Thiero`s potential impact on the Lakers, highlighted by clips showcasing what the 36th pick brings.
Meanwhile, there is LeBron James, who sources believe will opt into his $52.6 million player option for next season, along with the existing roster pieces.
James, who turns 41 in December, recently returned to on-court basketball activities after sustaining a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee during Game 5 against Minnesota.
Before resuming court work, he had been training in the weight room with his son, Lakers guard Bronny James. Sources familiar with James` thinking suggest that, while retirement has been a consideration each offseason since 2023, he is not entering next season with any certainty that it will be his last.
Austin Reaves, for his part, declined the Lakers` offer of a four-year, $89.2 million contract extension this week, which sources said was not unexpected.
In the summer of 2026, he will be eligible to sign a larger four-year extension worth $98 million, or he could opt out of the final year of his current contract to become an unrestricted free agent. As a UFA, he would be eligible to sign a maximum contract potentially worth 25% of the salary cap for the 2026-27 season.
Sources indicated the Lakers made the $89.2 million offer knowing Reaves would likely turn it down, but the franchise wanted to formally show its interest and avoid sending a negative signal by not making the offer at all. Both sides, according to sources, are motivated to find a new agreement next summer.
Forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who underwent surgery on his left ankle after the season, has until Sunday to make a decision on opting out of the final year of his contract, which would pay him $15.4 million next season. He is eligible to sign a contract extension before free agency officially begins on Monday.
According to ESPN`s Bobby Marks, the Lakers could offer Finney-Smith a three-year extension worth $54 million up until Saturday. Between Sunday and Monday, they could offer him a four-year extension worth $90.2 million, which would replace his existing player option year. If Finney-Smith opts in for the $15.4 million next season, he would be eligible to sign a four-year deal worth $96.5 million, assuming he signs after the free agent moratorium is lifted on July 6.
A source familiar with the discussions told ESPN that while Finney-Smith is interested in returning to L.A., he might explore opportunities elsewhere for a multiyear contract if remaining with the Lakers means his only option is to play out his current deal by opting in.
Finney-Smith`s decision carries significant weight in determining the options available to the Lakers. If he were to depart, the Lakers would have effectively given up three second-round picks for a player who provided only a half-season rental after being acquired from the Brooklyn Nets. They would also lose a popular figure in the locker room and a player that head coach Redick reportedly trusts implicitly.
Conversely, if Finney-Smith chooses to leave, it would allow L.A. to access the full non-taxpayer midlevel exception, valued at $14.1 million. This amount could be divided to pursue multiple free agents seeking contracts above the veteran minimum. Furthermore, if the Lakers don`t utilize the entire midlevel exception amount, they could potentially take on more salary in a trade and absorb the extra money using the remaining MLE space.
And then, of course, there is Luka Doncic, L.A.`s 26-year-old superstar and the player widely considered the future face of the franchise.
Starting August 2, the Lakers can offer Doncic a substantial four-year contract extension worth $229 million. Alternatively, according to ESPN`s Bobby Marks, Doncic could choose to sign a three-year, $165 million extension that includes a player option in 2028. This path would then allow him to sign a maximum deal in 2028 that could pay him 35% of the salary cap for five seasons.
While the precise salary structure that Doncic and the Lakers ultimately agree upon remains to be seen, there are currently no indications of any potential split in the near future. A source close to Doncic reportedly viewed Mark Walter`s acquisition of the majority ownership stake as a positive development.
The source commented: “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, sources told ESPN that Doncic remains motivated by how the Dallas Mavericks handled him following the trade and by the disappointing conclusion to the Lakers` season. He has reportedly committed to a rigorous offseason training and nutrition program.
Doncic will also have a direct connection to the Lakers` coaching staff this summer. Sources indicated that Lakers assistant coach Greg St. Jean will serve as an assistant coach with the Slovenian national team, providing continuity as Doncic competes for his home country in the FIBA EuroBasket tournament.
The Lakers appear to have key pieces in place for the future: an ascending superstar in Doncic, a promising young head coach in Redick, and a deep-pocketed owner in Walter. However, considerable work is still needed to maximize the current opportunity with the team, particularly given that LeBron James is nearing the end of his legendary career.
Speaking to Spectrum SportsNet on Thursday, Pelinka reiterated the team`s commitment: “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.”
