Rob Pelinka will eventually need to budge on a trade or two to upgrade the Los Angeles Lakers into the championship contender that will be desired in 2025-26. That will mean threading the needle using the limited asset pool available to him.
There are only a few players on this roster who should be pretty comfortable with their position moving forward. The rest? They will be forced to guess bit by bit as the season advances, marching closer to the NBA trade deadline in February.
Untouchable beyond doubt: Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic will not be going anywhere in 2025-26. Pelinka pulled off the heist of the century to acquire the generational talent before last year's NBA trade deadline. His position on the team is locked in beyond any doubt.
Doncic just inked a brand-new extension with the Lakers in August. The future in Los Angeles completely revolves around the Slovenian superstar. The plan from here will be how to properly equip Luka with the pieces needed for the long haul.
Probably staying put: LeBron James, Bronny James, Adou Thiero
There has been a lot of talk about LeBron James and his future in Los Angeles. Through all of that, a few things can still be said for certain about the situation.
The Lakers were the only place where James could still secure his bag. They are also the only team, within reasonable trade speculation, where James is undoubtedly the supporting act and not the main one, which matters at this point of his career.
If LeBron's top priority is to compete for a championship in 2025-26, the Lakers still give him the best shot at it. If the all-time great is going to depart from Los Angeles, it would be surprising for that move to happen during the 2025-26 campaign.
His son, Bronny James, has started flashing rotational player upside. Adou Thiero was just picked up in the 2025 NBA Draft. There should be continued interest for the Lakers to see what they have in both young talents, securing their spot in Los Angeles for at least this season.
Safe, but not completely secure: Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia
Austin Reaves' looming contract decision is the main point of discussion around his future with the Lakers. The prevailing thought, at this point, is Reaves will be back with the team after testing free agency and getting a sizeable pay bump in the process.
Pelinka has been cautious about including the Lakers guard in trade negotiations to this point. One would expect 2025-26 to be a full audition for Reaves' fit with Doncic. Barring some significant concerns before February, the talented offensive guard is probably here to stay.
Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia were the big prizes of free agency for the Lakers in 2025. There should be considerable interest in having them stay put through the entirety of 2025-26. However, should one of them stick out as a poor fit from the get-go, it would not be completely impossible to see Pelinka pull the plug before their first season is over.
Could swing either way: Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt
Rui Hachimura is one of the more interesting players on this year's roster. Hachimura should be a strong offensive fit with Doncic for the foreseeable future. Defensively is where many have started to wonder whether the Lakers can get a better match.
Hachimura is a solid defender, but not really the type of point-of-attack specialist the Lakers are lacking in their starting lineup. Considering the Lakers forward is on an expiring contract, his future has plenty of question marks.
Jarred Vanderbilt is a reliable 3-point shot, paired with some good health, away from being a steady contributor in the Lakers' rotation. If that is not the case, his $11.5 million owed starts sticking out as a needed contract to pass off to another team that is less interested in winning.
Dalton Knecht and Jaxson Hayes will both have their bags packed without a strong start to the season. Their contracts represent potential salary filler, or trade sweetener, for a deal before the deadline.
Actively seeking out a real estate agent: Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber
A combo package of Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber to secure an upgrade within the Lakers rotation would be Pelinka's dream. Those deals will be available before the NBA trade deadline when other teams start to budge on their resolve for the immediate future.
Vincent and Kleber are both on expiring contracts and that should have some appeal on the trade market closer to February. The Lakers just need to wait for the opportune time to strike for the needed boost to the rotation.