Rob Pelinka, Lakers
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Lakers President and General Manager Rob Pelinka looks on.
The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be softening their stance on long-term contracts and trade possibilities following a deliberate offseason, longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported Monday on his “The Stein Line” newsletter.
A Calculated Offseason
Deandre Ayton, Lakers
Getty Deandre Ayton alone might not be enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to win the loaded Western Conference.
The Lakers entered the summer focused on financial flexibility, avoiding commitments beyond two years. Aside from Luka Dončić’s three-year, $165 million maximum extension, Los Angeles limited its signings to shorter deals — including two-year contracts for Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. Both Ayton and Smart hold player options for the second year.
That strategy positioned the Lakers to potentially clear more than $100 million in cap space after next season, with LeBron James’ $52.6 million coming off the books. The team could then be a player in a star-studded free agency class headlined by James and Kevin Durant, should Durant decline an extension with the Houston Rockets. They are also saving up for Austin Reaves, who will command a massive pay raise when he enters unrestricted free agency next summer.
A Thaw in Trade Reluctance
According to Stein, the Lakers’ early reluctance to consider deals involving contracts stretching past the 2025-26 season “has thawed somewhat.” Still, Los Angeles is not expected to make a move simply for the sake of activity ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Stein reported the Lakers “would indeed have interest in adding a two-way swingman who can raise their ceiling,” but they remain cautious about taking on deals that could compromise their long-term plans.
Pelinka Emphasizes Flexibility
Lakers president Rob Pelinka underscored the organization’s balancing act between immediate contention and long-term optionality during Dončić’s extension press conference last month.
“Make no mistake, we’re in win-championship-now mode always,” Pelinka said. “But in the new system that we’re in, having optionality is key to building teams. I think we have seen some teams get stuck in the aprons, and once you’re in them, it’s hard to get out.”
Pelinka added that the Lakers are prepared to act if the right trade presents itself.
“We’ve been very intentional with keeping our optionality to make [win] now moves if there are good [win] now moves to make,” he said. “But to be in a position of flexibility versus being stuck is really promising for how we’re going to build this team moving forward.”
The 2027 Window
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Lakers
Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks defends Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Much of the Lakers’ cap strategy appears geared toward the summer of 2027, when three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo could potentially reach unrestricted free agency. Multiple reports have suggested Los Angeles is positioning itself for that window.
Still, the pursuit of either Jokić or Antetokounmpo via trade remains unlikely.
“Do I think either is realistic as a trade target? No, not really,” Dan Woike of The Athletic wrote in his Aug. 13 mailbag. “The market would need to be way suppressed by a player saying they would simply walk to the Lakers in free agency … and still the Lakers’ offer would be thin.”
The Lakers have limited draft assets — just one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) and their 2032 second-round selection — which would make it difficult to outbid rival teams.
Lakers’ Outlook
As the season approaches, the Lakers remain committed to contending with Dončić at the forefront while keeping their long-term options open. Whether the front office makes a splash before February or waits until the 2027 free agency class takes shape, Pelinka insists Los Angeles will avoid being locked into inflexible deals.
For now, the Lakers’ message is clear: contend in the present, protect the future, and remain ready for the right opportunity.