Los Angeles Lakers expected cap space: Full salary breakdown

Currently, the L.A. Lakers have committed to $178 million in salary with them under the cap of $141 million cap if LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell both decline their player options. James will likely decline his option (unless he gets a new deal on top of that deal) with the jury still out on whether the market for Russell's services is enough to warrant him declining his $17.2 million for next season.

The Lakers will be over the first luxury tax apron squad If Russell accepts his option. In all reality, L.A. will not have much cap space if the Lakers can re-sign LeBron James to a long-term deal with the franchise mainly upgrading the roster via the trading or selection of their 17th overall pick.

The only other way that the squad will be able to upgrade its roster is by using their mid-level expectation of $5.2 million. The Lakers may not use this if they trade one of their veterans (or combine this veteran with another team) for a higher-salary veteran as L.A. will be over the second luxury tax apron because of CBA rules.

2024-25 Lakers expected cap space breakdown

While the Lakers may not make multiple signings this offseason, the franchise can still re-sign LeBron James to a maximum of $152 million over three years due to rules in the CBA, allowing teams to exceed the cap to re-sign their own players. In all likelihood, the Lakers would benefit if James took $10 million less on his next deal as the franchise would easily avoid the second luxury tax apron.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN suggested, the Lakers could offer the star a no-trade clause in exchange for taking fewer dollars on his next contract. In addition, the franchise could draft his younger son Bronny James with their 55th overall pick. To be clear, $40 million is not chump change (nor is leaving $10 million on the table ) but the older James could have everything he assumingly wants at this point in his career.

Assuming the head coach that they hire is alright (that is a big IF considering how the head coach search is going), the Lakers could be one veteran ball-handler away from title contention. At the same time, the older James would get to fulfill his likely dream of playing with the younger James in the twilight of his career. Whether ends up happening, it's clear that everything offseason-related starts and stops with LeBron James this offseason.