The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2025-26 season is going better than anyone expected when the team arrived at media day, and superstar LeBron James said he was dealing with sciatica that could have caused him to miss the start of the season.
The Lakers have seen Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, and Jaxson Hayes sustain injuries during the season and miss all kinds of time.
Despite the absences, head coach JJ Redick has kept the team steady, and the 11-4 Lakers now sit third in the Western Conference heading into Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz. James has been rehabbing steadily and has already made his season debut.
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In their new high-standing position and impressive style of play, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka might make a trade, and ESPN analyst Bobby Marks outlined the path for a deal to be constructed.
“How the Lakers prioritize cap flexibility next offseason could play a role in how active they are in trade talks. With over $100 million in expiring contracts (James, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber), the Lakers could have nearly $50 million in cap space,” Marks wrote on ESPN.
“Because they are hard capped at the first apron, Los Angeles cannot take back more than $1 million in additional salary. The Doncic and Dorian Finney-Smith trades left Los Angeles with one tradeable first-rounder (in either 2031 or 2032) and one second in the next seven years.
“They do have five years of first-round swaps (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031 and 2032).”
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Pelinka faces a tough balancing act in the coming months as he must decide whether to push his chips into immediate contention and swing a major deal that sacrifices long-term assets for this season.
James is a free agent this summer, and the Lakers hold multiple expiring contracts that they can re-sign or move on from.
Hachimura and James stand out as the top priorities, though they might decide to leave for more money, which would free up even more salary cap space.
Los Angeles has decisions to make during the NBA trade window and next summer, but fortunately they have multiple options to consider.
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