The contract status of every Lakers player
The Lakers head into an offseason where lots of wheels will be turning. Here’s a look at every contract for the current Lakers roster.
After finding postseason success once again this year, the Lakers now head into an offseason with a lot of moving pieces. While LeBron James and Anthony Davis, among a handful of others, are set to be Lakers next season — assuming the former isn’t actually retiring — there are all sorts of other players who will have choices to be made on them.
Vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka stated he wanted to keep the team’s core together going forward. How much of that core is under contract and how many of the players will the Lakers have to potentially re-negotiate contracts with this summer?
Here’s a look at each individual contract for the Lakers heading into the offseason. As a reminder heading into the offseason, the team can have 15 players on roster and, under the new CBA rules, three two-way players.
LeBron James
2023-24 - $46,900,000 (full guaranteed)
2024-25 - $50,652,000 (player option)
After seemingly flirting with the idea of retirement, it seems that won’t be the case for next season. But it still may be his last year as a Laker as he has a player option for next year and his desire to play with his son has been shared repeatedly.
Whether that happens immediately or if he looks to do it later in his career is unclear but the end of his Lakers career feels like it is approaching rapidly.
Anthony Davis
2023-2024 - $40,600,080 (fully guaranteed)
2024-2025 - $43,219,440 (early termination option)
Davis refound his form in the playoffs and the future looks incredibly bright again. Again, though, the Lakers are heading into a summer next year in which both LeBron and AD could be free agents.
Malik Beasley
2023-24 - $16,524,106 (team option)
The Lakers have until June 29 to decide on Beasley’s option. Conveniently, that comes after the NBA Draft when they could potentially package him with their No. 17 pick and make a deal.
After being a total non-factor in the playoffs, it’ll be interesting whether the Lakers bring back Beasley next season.
Mo Bamba
2023-24 - $10,300,000 (non-guaranteed)
Identical to Beasley, the Lakers have until June 29 to decide whether to guarantee Bamba’s contract. He, too, could also be involved in a package trade around the draft. But it feels far more likely he will not be a Laker next season after injury led to him essentially not playing for most of his time with the Lakers.
Jarred Vanderbilt
2023-24 - $4,640,000 (non-guaranteed)
Vanderbilt’s contract is technically not guaranteed, but there’s no doubt he’ll be back next season. Interestingly, Vanderbilt is extension eligible and it would be some savvy business if the Lakers worked out, say, a two-year extension with him this summer.
Shaquille Harrison
2023-24 - $2,413,304 (non-guaranteed)
The decision on Harrison could be interesting. If the Lakers need a little bit of trade ballast in a deal, they could throw him in as his contract doesn’t guarantee until Jan. 10, 2024. Is it worth keeping a $2.4 million non-guaranteed contract that long, though?
Max Christie
2023-24 - $1,719,864
If Christie does make a jump next season, it’s going to come in a contract year and could put the Lakers in the same position they are in with Austin Reaves. It’s both the good and the bad of having a scouting department capable of finding hidden gems late in the draft.
Cole Swider
2023-24 - Two-way
The two-way deal Cole Swider signed last summer was a two-year, two-way contract that keeps him under control this year. It also likely guarantees he’ll play in the Summer League this year again.
D’Angelo Russell
Unrestricted free agent
Just about anything feels on the table for D’Lo this summer, ranging from returning to a sign-and-trade or the Lakers outright letting him walk, though that seems the least likeliest of options.
Rui Hachimura
Restricted free agent
During the regular season, Hachimura did himself no favors with his play. But he was such a big piece of the Lakers postseason push that he earned himself a big payday and a role with the Lakers moving forward, almost certainly.
Lonnie Walker
Unrestricted free agent
Walker’s strong start to the regular season and big performance in the playoffs almost certainly earned him a big contract. The Lakers could potentially bring him back on a pay raise with their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, but is he the type of player they’re willing to use an asset like that on?
Austin Reaves
Restricted free agent
There’s basically no chance, based on all reports that have come out, that Reaves isn’t a Laker next season.
Troy Brown Jr.
Unrestricted free agent
Brown had a strong season with the Lakers that has likely earned him a bigger deal and a chance to continue to showcase his skills. Neither of those things will likely come from the Lakers.
Dennis Schröder
Unrestricted free agent
Dennis was an important piece of the Lakers postseason success and has earned a big contract that didn’t come after his last tenure in purple and gold. Are the Lakers still willing to offer him an increase, even if they’re limited to one of their mid-level exceptions?
Tristan Thompson
Unrestricted free agent
Thompson’s value to the Lakers came in his off-court role, though he did help on the court in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. He’s expressed interest in returning and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s back next year.
Wenyen Gabriel
Unrestricted free agent
After being out of the league when the Lakers signed him, Gabriel has certainly earned another contract in the league. He found a role with the Lakers in his two seasons here, but he very well could look for a bigger role next season which may not be available in Los Angeles.
Scotty Pippen Jr.
Restricted free agent
With his two-way deal up, Pippen Jr. is a restricted free agent. While he had a successful G League campaign, that didn’t translate to much in the way of production in the NBA which could lead to him landing in a new spot next year.
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