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Xavier Cooks Cameron Carr scores 16 in summer league debut
Fri, Jul 3, 2026, 6:42 PM
Cameron Carr added 19 points (7-of-15 FGs, 0-of-1 FTs), two rebounds, one assist, one block and five three-pointers in the loss to the Warriors on Friday.
Analysis: Carr, the Lakers' 24th pick in the most recent NBA Draft, was the team's best scorer on Friday. The bulk of his production came from beyond the arc, where he nearly converted half of his looks on double-digit attempts. He didn't provide much else in terms of box score numbers. However, he could potentially grow into a role in the regular-season rotation if the level of shooting he displayed against Golden State is sustainable. |
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Jaden Hardy Jaden Hardy heading to Los Angeles in Ayton deal
Fri, Jul 3, 2026, 7:21 AM
Shams Charania
Jaden Hardy has been traded to the Lakers.
Analysis: The Lakers will received Hardy and two future second-rounders in exchange for Deandre Ayton. The former second-round pick was sent to Washington as part of the Anthony Davis trade last season after spending the first few years of his career in Dallas. He can provide instant offense at times, but he likely won't be a big part of the Lakers' rotation next season. |
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LeBron James Report: PHI among teams interested in LeBron James
Wed, Jul 1, 2026, 3:15 PM
The Athletic
Tony Jones of The Athletic reports that the 76ers are among the teams to have registered interest in signing free agent LeBron James.
Analysis: One day removed from informing the Lakers of his decision to move on, James has received interest from multiple teams in free agency. Golden State, Cleveland and Miami have been mentioned in various reports, and now Philadelphia has reportedly thrown its hat into the ring. The 76ers made a major move on Wednesday, acquiring Jaylen Brown from the Celtics for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. On paper, Philadelphia's current roster has the look of a contender in the East, even without James. Adding LeBron to the mix would round out their starting lineup, pushing Dominick Barlow to the bench after he started for most of the 2025-26 campaign. |
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Collin Sexton Shams: Lakers add Collin Sexton as backcourt depth
Wed, Jul 1, 2026, 6:39 AM
Shams Charania
Collin Sexton agreed to a two-year, $19 million contract with the Lakers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Analysis: Sexton, 27, is a career 18.3 points per game scorer. After a rough start to last season with the Hornets where he averaged 14.2 points, he was back up to averaging 17.5 points with the Bulls after a midseason trade. Sexton fits into the Lakers room mid-level exception as the team has exhausted its spending power early in the offseason with a flurry of moves that saw them land Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes as well. Sexton's fantasy value hasn't changed much with him joining a Lakers team with a crowded backcourt. |
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Quentin Grimes Shams: Lakers sign Quentin Grimes to 4-year deal
Wed, Jul 1, 2026, 6:31 AM
Shams Charania
Quentin Grimes agreed to a four-year, $60 million contract with the Lakers, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Analysis: Grimes turned 26 in May. A five-year NBA veteran, the former first-round pick by the Clippers in the 2021 NBA Draft has been traded four times in his career including on draft night. Grimes spent last season with the 76ers, appearing in 75 games and starting 19 of them. He averaged 13.4 points. Grimes fits the Lakers as an aggressive scorer off the bench. |
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Sandro Mamukelashvili Shams: Lakers sign Sandro Mamukelashvili
Wed, Jul 1, 2026, 6:18 AM
Shams Charania
Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed to a four-year, $52 million contract with the Lakers, reports ESPN's Shams Charania.
Analysis: Mamukelashvili had the best year of his career with the Raptors last yeah. The 27-year-old power forward averaged a career-high 11.2 points and shot 38 percent from behind the three-point line on a career-high 3.7 three-point attempts per game. Mamukelashvili finished 10th in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. He'll continue to provide size and spacing as a role player with the Lakers. |
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Walker Kessler Shams: Lakers acquire Walker Kessler in trade
Wed, Jul 1, 2026, 5:42 AM
Shams Charania
Lakers acquired Walker Kessler from the Jazz in exchange for two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps, reports ESPN's Shams Charania.
Analysis: The unprotected picks the Jazz will receive are in 2031 and 2033 and the pick swaps are in 2028 and 2030. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million extension with the Lakers. Los Angeles had been talking with Pistons center Jalen Duren about acquiring him in a sign-and-trade, but the Lakers took action here in completing the deal for Kessler. The 24-year-old center spent the first four years of his career with the Jazz, averaging 9.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. He's the big winner from this trade from a fantasy perspective if he can stay healthy. The Lakers are now hard capped to the first apron and have no first-round picks to trade. |
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Marcus Smart Shams: Marcus Smart agrees with Rockets on deal
Wed, Jul 1, 2026, 1:56 AM
Shams Charania
Marcus Smart agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Rockets, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Analysis: Still only 32, Smart is a 12-year NBA veteran best known for his nine-year tenure with the Celtics. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2021-22 season. Smart was still a significant piece for the Lakers last year as he averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. He opted out of his contract with the Lakers and was rewarded by the Rockets with a slight pay bump. NBA Insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer previously reported the Rockets were a potential landing spot for Smart. |
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LeBron James LeBron James not returning to Lakers next season
Tue, Jun 30, 2026, 6:17 AM
Shams Charania
ESPN's Shams Charania reports that LeBron James has informed the Lakers that he will not be returning to the team in 2026-27.
Analysis: James, who turns 42 in December, will play his 24th season in the NBA. However, it is not known which team he'll suit up for. According to agent Rich Paul, the future Hall of Fame forward has informed the Lakers that he will not be re-signing with the team. Given the amount of money now tied up in Luka Don?i? and Austin Reaves, James' decision is surprising but not a seismic shock. In recent days, the Warriors have been rumored as a potential destination, with Draymond Green opting out of the final year of his deal to free up additional money for the franchise to make moves. While Don?i? was already one of the first players to be selected in fantasy drafts, James' exit raises Reaves' ceiling in 2026-27. |
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Marcus Smart Report: Marcus Smart to decline player option
Mon, Jun 29, 2026, 8:05 AM
Chris Haynes
NBA insider Chris Haynes reports that Marcus Smart has declined his player option and will become an unrestricted free agent.
Analysis: After one season in Los Angeles, Smart has reportedly decided to hit free agency. Appearing in 62 games, the veteran guard averaged 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 28.5 minutes. On Sunday, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that Houston is a potential landing spot for Smart. Had he opted into the final season of his contract, Smart would have received a base salary of $5.4 million. |
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Deandre Ayton Deandre Ayton picks up player option for 2026-27
Mon, Jun 29, 2026, 5:43 AM
Shams Charania
Deandre Ayton will pick up his player option for the 2026-27 season.
Analysis: Given Ayton's inconsistent play in his first season with the Lakers, it's unsurprising that he would look to lock in $8.1 million for the 2026-27 campaign. In 72 games, the 7-footer averaged 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 27.2 minutes. While Ayton started every game he played, there were times when he lost minutes to Jaxson Hayes. Between the inconsistent rebounding and rim protection and his awkward fit with the Lakers' star ball-handlers in the two-man game, Ayton may not have commanded a similar payday had he gone into free agency. One of the Lakers' remaining goals this offseason is to upgrade the center position, so Ayton may either be a backup or ultimately be moved elsewhere. |
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Xavier Cooks Report: Lakers sign Peter Suder to two-way deal
Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 5:38 PM
Michael Scotto
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reports that the Lakers signed Peter Suder to a two-way contract.
Analysis: Suder spent two seasons at Bellarmine before transferring to Miami (OH) ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. His senior year was the best, with the 6-foot-4 guard averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 three-pointers while shooting 54.6 percent from the field and 73.4 percent from the foul line. While Suder did shoot 42.1 percent from three, he made only 33.1 percent of his attempts over four seasons, so there will be questions about his consistency. |
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Xavier Cooks Report: LAL signs AK Okereke to two-way contract
Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 4:36 PM
Shams Charania
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lakers signed AK Okereke to a two-way contract.
Analysis: The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Okereke played three seasons at Cornell before transferring to Vanderbilt for his final year of college basketball. In 36 games, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 three-pointers, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 77.5 percent from the foul line. While on limited volume, Okereke shot 40 percent from beyond the arc last season. |
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JJ Redick Shams: Lakers acquire 56th pick from Chicago
Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 1:15 PM
Shams Charania
ESPN's Shams Charania reports the Lakers have acquired pick No. 56 in the NBA Draft from the Bulls in exchange for cash.
Analysis: The Lakers added a second pick in the draft after selecting Cameron Carr with the 24th pick on Tuesday. It's one of the last few picks in the draft, so it's unclear who they could be targeting at this point. Chicago still has pick No. 38 after making two top-15 picks on Tuesday. |
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Austin Reaves Austin Reaves to sign 4-year, $185M deal w/ Lakers
Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 7:21 AM
Shams Charania
ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million deal to return to the Lakers.
Analysis: With Reaves back in the fold, the Lakers have he and Luka Don?i? locked in as franchise cornerstones for the foreseeable future. The Lakers will have a busy offseason as they navigate LeBron James' potential return and decide what moves to make to get the team in a more competitive position. |
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Xavier Cooks Lakers acquire No. 24 pick, select Cameron Carr
Tue, Jun 23, 2026, 4:50 PM
Shams Charania
Lakers selected Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick in the NBA Draft.
Analysis: After appearing in just 18 games over the course of one-plus season at Tennessee, the 6-foot-5 Carr transferred to Baylor during the 2024-25 campaign. After playing well in the 2025 World University Games, he took another step forward in his lone season with the Bears. A third-team All-Big 12 selection, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers per game, shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from three and 80.1 percent from the foul line. A standout performance at the NBA Draft Combine helped Carr even more, essentially locking him into the middle of the first round. While the Knicks made the pick, he will be a Laker after Los Angeles moved up a spot in the draft order in exchange for cash considerations. With Dalton Knecht unable to earn consistent rotation minutes, Carr will have every opportunity to provide value as a rookie. |
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LeBron James Report: 'Legitimate chance' LeBron leaves Lakers
Fri, Jun 12, 2026, 10:38 AM
ESPN
ESPN's Tim Bontemps believes there is a âlegitimate chanceâ that LeBron James is not with the Lakers next season.
Analysis: James, who turns 42 in December, is an unrestricted free agent. And for the first time in his NBA career, he is not viewed as the priority signing going into free agency. The Lakers have prioritized building around Luka Don?i?, including a desire to re-sign free-agent guard Austin Reaves. Given what Reaves' price tag is expected to be, LeBron may have to take a significant pay cut to return to the Lakers. Agent Rich Paul said during a media appearance on Friday that â10-12 teamsâ have reached out to him regarding James, so he'll have options in free agency. While James can still be a highly effective option for fantasy managers, his age has lowered the ceiling for 2026-27. |
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Austin Reaves Report: Nets expected to offer max to Reaves
Fri, Jun 12, 2026, 10:06 AM
The Athletic
Dan Woike of The Athletic reports that the Nets are expected to offer Austin Reaves a max contract when he hits free agency later this month.
Analysis: The Lakers have long viewed re-signing Reaves as a priority this offseason, and the expectation was that the cost of doing business would be high. According to The Athletic, the Nets are willing to offer the shooting guard the highest deal they can, which comes to about $178.5 million over four years. Unlike other teams, the Lakers can offer Reaves a fifth year, but the question is how much they're willing to pay. And with other questions lingering, such as LeBron James' future and how they'll fill out the rest of the roster around Luka Don?i?, the Lakers could find themselves in a challenging spot regarding Reaves' deal. As for the Nets, adding Reaves would give them an undisputed building block on the perimeter. And with none of the guards selected in the first round of last summer's draft (Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf) truly standing out, this is an area of need for the rebuilding franchise. |
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Austin Reaves Austin Reaves has 27/7/6 line in loss to OKC
Mon, May 11, 2026, 8:18 PM
Austin Reaves logged 27 points (8-of-16 FGs, 8-of-9 FTs), seven rebounds, six assists, two blocks and three three-pointers in the loss to the Thunder on Monday.
Analysis: Reaves found his rhythm again on Monday after an unspectacular Game 3. He shot efficiently both inside and outside the arc and repeatedly made his way to the free-throw line before finishing with a team-high in points. The fifth-year guard did struggle with turnovers against a tough Thunder defense. Still, his scoring and facilitating across his 43 minutes were important for the Lakers. Reaves missed a lot of time with injuries throughout the regular season, which hurt his fantasy value. When healthy, he was as productive as last season. He'll likely be one of the better guards in fantasy leagues next season if injuries aren't as big an issue. |
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Rui Hachimura Rui Hachimura scores 25 in season-ending loss
Mon, May 11, 2026, 8:08 PM
Rui Hachimura totaled 25 points (9-of-15 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), five rebounds, two assists, one block and four three-pointers in the loss to the Thunder on Monday.
Analysis: Hachimura came alive in the third quarter following a four-point first half. He produced in the midrange and from beyond the arc before repeating the process in the fourth quarter. Hachimura made some big shots to keep the Lakers' hopes alive down the stretch. Yet, his season ends in a fourth straight victory. Hachimura's role fluctuated throughout the season, leading to one of his least productive seasons in several years. His fantasy value this season came from efficient scoring, which he didn't do enough of to really be a difference maker in leagues. |
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