The Los Angeles Lakers have prioritized this offseason all year long to improve their roster via free agency and/or the trade market. Only two more teams hold larger cap space than the Lakers, but that isn’t accounting for the big money needed to re-sign Austin Reaves and LeBron James. The two big names are expected to return, and the Lakers must then figure out which players to keep or add to the roster.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported the following about Luka Doncic’s expectations for a huge offseason:
“The team has kept Doncic informed as the draft and free agency approaches; there is an expectation from the six-time All-Star for the Lakers to present a near-immediate path to championship contention. ‘Luka wants to be a championship team yesterday. Ever since the trade, they’ve always told us: summer of 26. We’ll show you in the summer of 26. So, we are so excited that the summer of 2026 is here.”
Doncic is expecting the Lakers to create a roster that will have an immediate path towards realistic contention for the NBA Championship. The loaded West already sees the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs as dominant favorites. New players will be needed for the Lakers to have a realistic case of getting past both teams.
How This Impacts Austin Reaves & LeBron James
The Lakers want to keep their second and third best players on the roster after both men had best-case seasons. Reaves looked like an All-Star and All-NBA caliber player, but injuries kept him from making either team.
James stepped up big time when Doncic and Reaves both missed time due to injuries. The Lakers plan to keep both men, but there could be a cap on how much they are willing to spend. Other free agents Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes all require new deals as well, if they want to stay in Los Angeles.
Luka is reportedly keeping up with both LeBron and Reaves, but that has nothing to do with the Lakers front office. Reaves commanding too much money from a Brooklyn Nets max contract offer could see the Lakers opting to add multiple players and diversify the roster instead.
Lakers Have Two Seasons To Convince Luka Doncic
The ultimate goal with Doncic is for the Lakers to both win an NBA Championship and keep him on the roster for the rest of his prime. Despite signing an extension, Luka only has two more guaranteed seasons under contract before he can opt out with a player’s cause.
If the Lakers can’t get past the second round by then, there is a good chance that Doncic will explore other options. The Lakers adding Luka by trade, without his approval, showed that he didn’t choose this new home.
Doncic will likely give the Lakers every chance to impress him and improve the roster, but time will deliver results. Rob Pelinka must look at targets, like Nicolas Claxton and Trey Murphy, to ensure that the team has enough new talent to become realistic title contenders.
Luka Doncic Putting Pressure On Lakers For Huge Offseason