Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Lakers have surpassed expectations this season, securing over 50 wins with strong performances from their core players and coaching staff.
- Several key contributors on the roster are playing on expiring deals or player options, creating uncertainty about their futures beyond this postseason.
- These players' potential departures could significantly reshape the Lakers' strategy and roster dynamics as the team approaches crucial offseason decisions.
While there have been some bumps along the way, the 2025-26 season has been largely successful for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers already reached the 50-win threshold, outpacing preseason expectations by a comfortable margin. Some of that strong performance can be tied to MVP-level play from Luka Dončić, but the supporting cast in Los Angeles has (mostly) done its job and head coach JJ Redick is well-respected for his work on the bench.
With that said, the Lakers are entering an interesting situation over the next few months. High-profile injuries to Dončić and Austin Reaves could leave Los Angeles vulnerable in a first round playoff series, to the point where many project the Lakers season to end more quickly than once thought. After that, the Lakers have a bevy of offseason decisions, including the reality that only a small handful of players are under contract beyond the 2025-26 season.
Dončić headlines the group that is on track to return and, while Reaves has a player option that he will almost certainly decline, league rumblings point to a likelihood that he will stick around Los Angeles on a much more lucrative contract. Still, there is a ton of uncertainty elsewhere, and the Lakers like to swing big when they are able to. Below, we will touch on a group of five players that might be entering their last postseason run in forum blue and gold.
LeBron James
Let's begin with the biggest possible name. James is one of the best players in the history of the sport and, even at the age of 41, he is remarkably effective. James is averaging 20.8 points, 7.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game this season and, on the right night, he can still ramp it up to superstar levels. There is still widespread buzz about James' future, including the real possibility that he could exit Los Angeles and finish an inner-circle Hall of Fame career elsewhere. This isn't the particular space to speculate on which teams could interest James (Cleveland? Golden State?) but the reality is that he is on an expiring contract and that opens up a lot of uncertainty about the 2026-27 season and beyond.
Rui Hachimura
After a relatively uninspiring start to his career in Washington, Hachimura has been a piece for the Lakers over more than 200 games. That includes 38 starts this season and, while Hachimura can still be a vexing player at times, he is a 6'8 forward that can function on both ends of the floor. That brings inherent value, including in free agency this summer. Like James, Hachimura is a free agent, and the Lakers may look to maximize salary cap flexibility in certain scenarios. If that comes to pass, a major contract offer may not be awaiting Hachimura in Los Angeles.
Luke Kennard
Kennard is one of the best shooters in the NBA, full stop. He is a career 44.2 percent shooter from beyond the arc, including an unbelievable 45.8 percent since the beginning of the 2020-21 season. Kennard is relatively limited elsewhere, especially on defense, but he can run a pick-and-roll and has helped Los Angeles after arriving via a midseason swap for Gabe Vincent. At the same time, Kennard is an expiring deal that was brought in to stabilize things in the short term, rather than the long term. It shouldn't surprise anyone if he moves on next season.
Marcus Smart
The three players above are all on true expiring contracts, but the last two are on player options. Smart isn't quite the Defensive Player of the Year player that he once was in Boston, but he remains versatile, physical, and competitive. The veteran has made 53 starts for the Lakers this season, and he has a player option for roughly $5.4 million for next season. There is certainly a world in which Smart picks that up, but between the possibility of a decline and the chances that the Lakers could trade him if he exercises the option, he has to be on this list.
Deandre Ayton
Finally, there is Deandre Ayton. He also has a player option for roughly $8.1 million next season and, based on his play this year, that is an option he may have to exercise to make the best financial decision. Ayton has been effective at times, averaging 12.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in 69 appearances, but the Lakers have an unsightly 116.5 defensive rating with him on the court that drops to a more respectable 113.8 when he's on the bench. That lack of defensive impact is limiting for a team built around Doncic and Reaves for the future, and as he has in every stop so far, Ayton generally leaves observers cold and uninspired. There is certainly a good chance that he picks up the option, but the Lakers might have other plans even if he does.