The Luka Dončić-led Los Angeles Lakers wish to assert themselves as true title contenders both for the 2025-26 season and the foreseeable future, but it’s no secret that they can use a defensive upgrade or two to accomplish that goal.
Los Angeles’s defensive core recently took a hit at the forward position due in large part to Dorian Finney-Smith’s decision to sign with the Houston Rockets as a free agent this past summer, making an upgrade at the position imperative.
With the Lakers searching for players to fit in with their newfound youth movement alongside the 26-year-old Dončić, one NBA writer has suggested that the storied franchise should exact revenge on Houston by acquiring their developing defensive forward Tari Eason in restricted free agency next summer.
“The Houston Rockets pried away Dorian Finney-Smith from the Los Angeles in the summer of 2025, nabbing one of the best role players of last season’s team away from (general manager) Rob Pelinka,” FanSided’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote Tuesday morning.
“The Lakers general manager can return the favor in 2026 by swooping in and signing Tari Eason.”
“Pelinka and Los Angeles have positioned themselves to have plenty of cap space for the summer of 2026.”
“With the Rockets and Eason failing to agree on a new contract they were both comfortable with, this is where the Lakers can pounce and fill a big-time roster need.”
Houston’s 24-year-old defensive menace will officially hit restricted free agency in the summer of 2026, plausibly making him a target for Los Angeles.
In 57 appearances and 16 starts for the Rockets in 2024-25, Eason contributed a career-high 12.0 points to go along with 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks while registering a fantastic 2.6 defensive box plus-minus.
Eason profiles as a perfect partner for the slower-footed Dončić on the defensive side of the ball, and there’s reason to believe that he can improve as a catch-and-shoot three-point threat after knocking down 35.8% of his attempts from the corners this past season.
If the Lakers can land the quickly improving two-way wing by handing him a contract the Rockets refuse to match in the summer of 2026, the team could become one of the more formidable defensive units in the Western Conference for years to come.
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