Los Angeles Lakers Open To Trading For Player On Contract That Extends Beyond 2026
The Los Angeles Lakers are open to trading for a player on a contract that extends beyond 2026, according to NBA reporter Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“L.A. will open training camp with 14 players on the roster, including Rui Hachimura ($18.3 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million) and Maxi Kleber ($11 million) on expiring contracts. They can include one of their 2031 or 2032 first-round picks in a potential deal. And with Doncic signed long term, the Lakers are open to trading for a player on a contract that extends beyond 2026, sources told ESPN,” McMenamin wrote.
The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. They signed Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart this offseason after losing Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick is expected to start Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Hachimura, LeBron James and Ayton next season.
Dončić, who lost a lot of weight this offseason, played very well for Slovenia during EuroBasket.
“Luka’s play in EuroBasket made it clear to the entire basketball world that he’s on that incredibly short list of ‘best player on the planet’ candidates, if not at the top,” Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said. “In terms of team building, we’ve talked about the importance of having optionality and when I use that word, it’s not to say in the future.
“I think optionality is also in the now. Having both Luka as arguably the best player on the planet and LeBron James, who is still in the mix of being one of the great players in our game, even at his age, continues to allow us to think carefully about the value of that optionality.”
The Lakers are interested in trading for Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins. The forward will make $28.2 million next season. He has a player option worth $30.2 million for the 2026-27 season.
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