Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura
Getty
Lakers' Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans in November 2025
It was widely expected to be a quiet trade deadline for the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the February 5 cutoff. That assumption, however, may no longer hold.
After viewing forward Rui Hachimura as a key piece of the rotation over the past few seasons, the Lakers’ stance appears to be shifting. According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, Los Angeles is now more willing to explore the 27-year-old’s inclusion in trade talks.
“The Lakers appear more open than ever to including Rui Hachimura in a trade ahead of the deadline,” Sidery reported. “After being hesitant to include Hachimura in discussions the past few years, Los Angeles plans to explore the idea of utilizing his $18.2 million expiring contract.”
With the deadline rapidly approaching and limited avenues to meaningfully upgrade the roster, the Lakers could be assessing whether Hachimura’s contract can be leveraged as part of a larger move rather than standing pat.
Lakers Facing Market Reality Around Expiring Contracts
Hachimura’s expiring deal now sits at the center of the Lakers’ evolving approach, offering a level of flexibility they’ve not had since he arrived in Los Angeles.
Whether that translates into tangible market interest, however, remains uncertain.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers’ expiring contracts are generating little enthusiasm across the league. That group includes Hachimura ($18.2 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber ($11 million).
“Another problem the Lakers have is that there isn’t a market for virtually any of their players, including Rui Hachimura on an expiring $18.2 million contract,” Siegel wrote. “With limited options out there, the only way to move some of their contracts, both expiring and non-expiring, would be attaching draft picks, which Los Angeles doesn’t have many of.”
That lack of flexibility complicates the Lakers’ options. Dan Woike of The Athletic further noted that second-year guard Dalton Knecht currently holds little trade value either, leaving the Lakers with only one truly premium asset: a 2032 first-round pick that the organization is supposedly reluctant to move.
Production, Health, and the Bigger Picture
On the court, Hachimura has remained one of the Lakers’ more reliable rotation contributors when available.
He’s averaging 12.5 points and 3.7 rebounds this season while shooting 51.9% from the field and a near career-high 44.2% from three-point range on four attempts per game.
His availability, however, has been inconsistent. Hachimura missed seven consecutive games after suffering a right calf strain late last month before returning in Tuesday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks.
He finished with seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench while playing under a minutes restriction.
Despite having roughly $40 million in expiring contracts available, the Lakers’ asset cupboard remains thin. Compounding matters though, as Los Angeles appears determined to hold onto its lone first-round pick, viewing it as critical to future flexibility.
Retaining that selection would allow the team to control three first-rounders this summer, opening the door to more substantial offseason deals.
“If we’re speaking in a technical sense, the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick is probably their most valuable trade asset,” Woike added. “However, trading that pick would lock the team’s ability to trade the 2031 pick now and the 2033 pick this summer. So, yeah, the 2032 pick probably isn’t going anywhere.”
Looking further ahead, the Lakers are projected to have just over $55 million in available cap space this summer, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac. That flexibility could allow Los Angeles to pursue one or two significant additions, though Austin Reaves’ upcoming free agency adds another layer of uncertainty.
For now, the Lakers find themselves walking a tightrope between deadline opportunism and long-term planning, with Hachimura’s expiring contract suddenly sitting at the center of that balancing act.