The Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2025 offseason with a clear mandate: reshape the roster around Luka Doncic and LeBron James, address their glaring frontcourt deficiencies, and return to contender status.
While the Lakers may not possess the deepest war chest of assets, they have just enough to make meaningful moves, especially when you factor in the expiring contracts, one tradeable first-round pick, and a few intriguing young pieces.
Future Draft Picks:
– 2031 or 2032 First-Round pick (only one can be traded)
– Five First-Round pick swaps (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031, 2032)
– One Second-Round pick (2025)
Expiring Contracts ($54.68 million total):
– Rui Hachimura ($18.25 million)
– Gabe Vincent ($11.50 million)
– Maxi Kleber ($11.00 million)
– Austin Reaves ($13.93 million, extension-eligible)
Team Friendly Contract ($6.28 million total):
– Shake Milton (2 Years, $6.28 million)
Prospect:
– Dalton Knecht ($4 million)
From a draft perspective, the Lakers are limited. They can only trade one of their 2031 or 2032 first-round picks outright, but they do own five potential pick swaps (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032), which could become attractive to teams betting against LA’s long-term future.
They also hold a 2025 second-rounder, which carries limited value but could be useful in sweetening a minor deal.
What gives the Lakers flexibility this offseason is the $54.68 million in expiring contracts. Rui Hachimura ($18.2 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber ($11 million) all come off the books in 2026, and could be used either to match salaries in trades or to create cap relief for other teams.
Internally, though, the front office is reportedly split on the futures of Reaves and Hachimura.
Austin Reaves’ $13.9 million deal also sits on the table, though technically not an expiring contract, he becomes extension-eligible and could be involved in high-profile trade scenarios if the right player becomes available.
Reaves remains the biggest internal debate for the Lakers. He had a career year, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on 46% shooting and nearly 38% from three.
His contract is one of the league’s best bargains for now, but he’s expected to command $30 million annually when he hits free agency in 2026. His agent has dismissed trade speculation, but league insiders say the Lakers would only move him for an All-Star who fits Luka’s timeline and playing style.
On the other hand, Hachimura might be the more likely trade chip. Despite consistent postseason play and 41% shooting from three, his positional overlap with LeBron, Doncic, and Dorian Finney-Smith raises redundancy concerns.
With $18 million due next year and solid two-way value, Hachimura could headline a package for a starting-caliber big or two-way wing.
Additionally, Shake Milton’s (2 Years, $6.28 million) presence on the Lakers’ roster may not turn heads in box scores, but his contract might be one of the most quietly valuable assets the team holds heading into the offseason.
Milton signed a three-year, $9 million deal, a move that barely registered in headlines last summer. However, given the current financial landscape under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, his deal now stands out as a flexible, team-friendly contract that could play a pivotal role in trade scenarios.
The real wildcard is Dalton Knecht. The sharpshooter on a $4 million deal could be the type of cost-controlled prospect teams covet in larger deals. Combined with LA’s draft capital, he gives the Lakers a modicum of leverage in negotiations.
One ambitious three-team deal has captured attention recently. Proposed by Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell, the trade would send Jarrett Allen, Terance Mann, Isaac Okoro, and Georges Niang to the Lakers in exchange for Hachimura, Knecht, Milton, Kleber, and multiple picks.
The Cavaliers would shed salary while Atlanta adds depth with Jarred Vanderbilt and Max Strus.
The Lakers have also shown interest in defensive specialist De’Anthony Melton, hoping he can regain his two-way form after an injury-riddled 2024-25 season. Melton and Mann are two guards who fit the mold of what LA needs: versatile defenders who can shoot and don’t demand the ball.
And with Jaxson Hayes expected to leave after his reduced role in the playoffs, the Lakers are eyeing younger, cheaper centers such as Vladislav Goldin, projected to be selected at No. 55 in the draft. That pick might not be flashy, but it signals that LA is looking to build a blend of experience and youth as they navigate a tight salary cap and an aging core.
Target-wise, the Lakers have been linked to centers like Nic Claxton, Daniel Gafford, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Jericho Sims. Each offers something LA sorely lacks: size, rim protection, and athleticism.
Claxton and Gafford are more plug-and-play starters, while Sharpe and Sims are younger, lower-risk additions who could grow with the team.
With LeBron expected to opt into his player option, the clock is ticking. The Lakers must decide whether to swing big now, possibly sacrificing fan favorites like Reaves and Hachimura, or preserve their assets for a post-LeBron era anchored around Doncic.
Either way, how they deploy these assets will define their next championship window.
