The Los Angeles Lakers will head into the offseason with more questions than before. Despite making it to the second round of the playoffs while facing unfavorable circumstances this year, even though the team looked competitive, it was clear they were not competitive enough.
For the most part, the Lakers’ offseason issues will revolve around Austin Reaves’ contract negotiation and LeBron James’ uncertain future with the franchise. While little is known about the team’s roster-building plan this summer, The Athletic’s Dan Woike reported that two players have been identified as priority signings. He wrote:
“The belief is that Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes are players the Lakers would prioritize bringing back as they try to best fit a roster around Doncic. And each piece of the puzzle the Lakers feel they need to add into their cap space takes up a slice that could go to James.”
The Purple and Gold are entering the offseason with considerable cap space ($59.7 million), primarily because of the number of expiring contracts on their roster last season. Among these players, re-signing Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes appears to be the top priority.
Woike noted that a key factor in re-signing Hachimura and Hayes is how they pair with Luka Doncic. Given that the team will continue to build around the superstar, this seems to be a promising approach. Besides that, however, it only makes sense to bring these two players back.
Rui Hachimura was arguably the Lakers’ most reliable shooter last season. Even though there was a minor dip in scoring production from Hachimura compared to the 2024-25 season, the forward was far more efficient from the field, averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from three-point range.
As capable as he is of creating scoring opportunities for himself, the 28-year-old has proven equally effective in catch-and-shoot situations, acting as a solid drive-and-kick option. In the Lakers’ system, a reliable perimeter threat like Hachimura is an ideal fit next to Luka Doncic.
As important as it is to re-sign Hachimura, it can be argued that bringing back Jaxson Hayes may be even more vital.
The Lakers’ biggest roster concern over the last few seasons has been big man depth. While signing Deandre Ayton in last year’s offseason was supposed to alleviate this, it is safe to say that the center fell short of expectations.
Although this implies that Ayton’s future with the Purple and Gold is in question, having a reliable backup center is imperative. Thus, an athletic big man like Hayes is ideal.
Hayes was phenomenal in small stretches of the 2025-26 season. Although his averages of 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game may not jump off the page, Hayes’ ability to consistently act as a lob threat made him immensely dangerous when paired with a playmaker like Luka Doncic.
The chemistry between Hayes and Doncic is noteworthy. Now, with Hayes also becoming eligible to represent the Slovenian men’s national basketball team, it can be argued that the bond would only grow deeper. Thus, it is safe to say that ensuring Hayes remains with the Purple and Gold is crucial, too.
For the most part, re-signing the two should not be an issue. Given that Hayes was on a $3.4 million deal last season, the Lakers can offer him a marginal pay raise. However, offering Hachimura ($18.2 million) a contract worth anything more than $15 million annually could prove detrimental to the Lakers’ offseason efforts.
As Woike reported, bringing back the aforementioned players, while promising, would eat away at their current cap flexibility. While this would leave them with just enough space to present a lucrative offer to Austin Reaves, it would not be enough to retain LeBron James, who is seeking another max contract.
Given the importance of getting younger and more athletic, letting James walk in free agency seems to be the only plausible move for the Lakers moving forward. Hence, by embracing this approach and potentially pulling the trigger on some key trades this summer, the Lakers can focus on tailoring the roster to Doncic’s needs.
