Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka has a lot of things on his plate as NBA free agency gets underway. LeBron James has opted in to his deal, though there are suddenly some questions about his future with the franchise. Meanwhile, a max contract extension for Luka Doncic could also be getting done this summer as well.
Make no mistake, the Lakers are looking to build this roster into championship contenders, but the front office also has the long-term future to keep in mind as well. And whatever they do this offseason, they do not intend on ruining plans for the future.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the Lakers are preparing to make a run at a superstar to pair with Doncic, perhaps as soon as next summer, and do not want to make any moves now that could jeopardize their ability to do so:
As free agency begins, the Lakers are motivated not to sacrifice long-term flexibility as they begin to arm themselves for a potential run at another superstar to pair with Dončić as soon as next summer.
It was also reported by Shams Charania of ESPN that the Lakers are looking to preserve cap space all the way into 2027:
“They are really prioritizing two-year contracts right now. They want to have max salary space in 2027.”
This makes some sense for the Lakers as, despite his continued high level of play, LeBron won’t play forever and the Lakers need to find their next player that will fit alongside Doncic for many years to come. Whether that player comes via trade or free agency, the Lakers must put themselves in position to acquire that player and that process begins now.
Doing so while still trying to field a roster that can compete for a championship this season is not an easy task, but Pelinka and the Lakers must be smart in all of their decisions. Balancing the present and future is a very thin line and LeBron’s camp has already made it clear that while they understand the Lakers’ position, they want to compete now.
The Lakers have consistently shown that they will do whatever is necessary in order to compete and this year will be no different. But clearly a priority has been placed on getting the pieces in place to make a run at the next superstar as Doncic takes over as the face of the franchise.
Lakers lose Dorian Finney-Smith to Rockets
One important piece for the Lakers last season was Dorian Finney-Smith, the forward they acquired during the season and hoped to keep around long-term. But it looks as if the veteran wing is line for a big contract from the Houston Rockets after agreeing to a four-year deal.
