The Los Angeles Lakers have been relatively dormant throughout the 2024-25 offseason. Outside of re-signing LeBron James and Max Christie (along with drafting Bronny James and Dalton Knecht), the franchise hasn’t made any significant changes from last year’s 47-win team that lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
The roster is full with 15 regular contracts, and payroll is within about $45,000 of the second apron ($188.9 million). The Lakers have been clear that they don’t intend to go over the second apron—and the only real way they can go over is by signing additional players to minimum contracts.
If this isn’t a roster the team can win with, then the path to improvement will be through trade(s).
The Lakers will likely be linked to the following names throughout the season until the February 6 trade deadline. Not everyone listed is a good idea, but that won’t stop the rumor mill.
Current salary: $43 million
Remaining contract: $137 million/three years (player option on the final season)
Trade Kicker: 15 percent (additional $6.2 million for 2024-25 and 2025-26)
The Bulls transitioned away from their underperforming core this summer, sending Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder and DeMar DeRozan (via sign-and-trade) to the Sacramento Kings. Multiple sources say the team would love to move LaVine’s big contract.
LaVine, 29, is a two-time All-Star who played at UCLA, but knee and foot injuries have diminished his availability. He’s a talented scorer and a 38.2 percent three-point shooter (career) but a marginal defender with only four postseason games played over 10 years.
His larger salary, before considering the trade kicker, illustrates how difficult moves will be this year for the Lakers. The franchise needs to send out more salary than it takes back while allowing room to fill the roster to the required minimum of 14 players.
For instance, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Christian Wood are enough to get LaVine (assuming he is willing to waive his trade kicker; arguably a must in any deal to the Lakers)—but that would be extremely difficult to execute before the season as L.A. would have a hard time staying under a second-apron hard cap getting back to 14 standard contracts.
A more feasible offseason deal (with the financial constraints) would need to center around Rui Hachimura and Russell, but would the Lakers retain enough depth to win, especially with LaVine’s injury history?
Pros: The Lakers shouldn’t need to send draft compensation to Chicago for LaVine. If healthy, LaVine is exceptionally talented.
Cons: Many around the league question if LaVine will fully regain his form. Financial constraints this season and next make fleshing out the rest of the roster difficult.
Alternative: The Lakers could have an interest in Nikola Vučević.
