Even after signing Luka Doncic to a maximum-salary extension, the Lakers are in position carve out maximum cap space for the 2027 offseason, with multiple superstars in position to reach free agency at that time, writes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link).
Doncic signed a three-year, maximum contract extension on Saturday that could pay him up to $165MM. While Doncic qualified for a five-year, $335.9MM super-max extension as a Maverick, he lost that privilege upon being traded to Los Angeles. His shorter-term deal will enable him to potentially reach free agency in 2028. With 10 years of NBA service at that time, he will qualify for a maximum deal worth 35% of the NBA’s salary cap (up from 30%).
Gozlan observes that Los Angeles could also have significant cap room in 2026. Even if L.A. gives impending guard Austin Reaves a massive raise next offseason and both Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart pick up their 2026/27 player options, the team will still be able to reach $30MM in available space.
But because there is no superstar-level talent expected to hit free agency next summer, 2027 has been viewed as the Lakers’ target date to maximize their cap flexibility. Both Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo could reach free agency that summer, when they would figure to earn maximum annual deals in the $60MM range.
There’s more out of Los Angeles:
- ESPN’s Dave McMenamin answers some lingering questions for the Lakers in the wake of their new deal with Doncic, including addressing their expectations for the upcoming season. McMenamin indicates that Doncic and L.A. both think the current club can realistically compete for a title in 2026. The team has augmented its 50-win 2024/25 core by adding free agents Ayton, Smart and sharpshooting forward Jake LaRavia this summer.
- With the Lakers seemingly going all-in on the 26-year-old Doncic, Dylan Hernández of The Los Angeles Times wonders how invested L.A. is in the future of 40-year-old All-NBA forward LeBron James.
- The Lakers’ full six-game preseason slate has been revealed, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register (Twitter link). Los Angeles will tip off against Pacific Division nemeses the Suns and Warriors twice between October 3-14, before wrapping up with a game apiece against the Mavericks and Kings.
Lol damn 165 million annually?!
The tariff does that
What I would do if I was Lakers Gm-
Id tell LBJ your offer is a 1 year deal without a No trade for whatever the amount that allows use of Mle or any other exts needed – This amount would probably be around 35 M ish roughly
If you wanna find a a cap team to get more money we will drive you to airport.
You wanna pout and go take the Mle somewhere else,,,,we will again drive you to the airport
Basically my way or the highway with zero f’s given if he leaves….and a little Rage against the Machine “Take the Power back” as background comfort noise for confidence
Makes the team oodles of cash and wins them a chip and fools want to act like they’d drive one of the goats to the airport and dump his ass. Absolutely comical. The Lakers will let Bron walk off into the sunset however the heck he likes, knowing they’ll be making bank selling his gear long after we’re all dead.
I doubt Walter cares too much about cash
And please, with all the yip yapping by Paul/James this dude has pretty much lined himself up at the Uber pick up curb himself. LBJ has created ALL of this HIMSELF and has already had his bluff called down embarrassingly. Theres no debt brah
Complete Man child, no team needs to operate under that framework, especially one already having a 26 yr old superstar
The media created this all by themselves. All James did was pick up his player option.
@ Chucktoad1
True, lol. I’m not the biggest LeBron fan, but the guy literally just picked up his option. And now folks are trying to see things when a random agent posts something.
On the court, his behaviour was almost exemplary after the trade. No bad body language, the effort he was putting in was usual for what he is now. If anything, he defended better in that Minnesota series than we’ve seen him in a while. Not that it mattered for the result, but you can’t incriminate him for being lazy.
And the Bronny thing is just funny. Was he a wasted draft pick? Hardly. He went 55th in the worst draft class ever. They were not going to select a world beater with that pick anyway. And LeBron gave up a couple of million of his salary so that they could sign Bronny. He can be waived on that contract like any other 2nd round pick in his position.
After the Luka trade, LeBron actually played solid defense for the rest of the season and held his own against Minnesota. Having someone else to help initiate the offense made a big difference.
As for Bronny? He generated more revenue for the Lakers than any other player in his draft class did for theirs. Not bad for the 55th pick.
What rev did he generate? I’m not aware of even a dime.
That’s because you dint have direct deposit
No knock ever on lebrons play , he was playing great D Before the trade as well When Lakers were peaking
Disagree on the couple ( daily ) condescending agent quote drops being harmless
They were all planned, they are all self serving, they are all wholly unnecessary and they rightfully were ignored entirely
Truth of the matter still lies with there is Zero debt to be payed and the power dynamic has shifted 180 degrees with a new owner with zero ties
– I highly doubt the Lakers organization will tie themselves to this 42 year old soap opera willingly with Luka in tow
Walter wants to build a team not any more wealth. I’m a huge fan of Lbj and his play but at 42 no thanks with the extra baggage / cap hit – I think you will find the Lakers organization following that path as well here shortly
The Lakers don’t need LeBron to make them cash and no one cares about that bubble championship.
What championship. They got no money from that Chip because it wasn’t a real Chip. No fans, no travel. Honestly I be okay with that part. The part that makes it crazy is the 4 month lay off in the season. Then you resume and jump right into the playoffs. This isn’t March madness. The grind of the season and playoffs makes nab basketball. So yes drive LeBron to the airport and drop him off. He is a w2 employee and if you don’t think Luka is not going to make the Lakers money your crazy.
Lebron over played his hand and the NBA helped and bailed out the Lakers. Lebron was controlling the Lakers so the gave them Luka and in return they got Flagg. No other “Goat” has ever spit on the game the way LeBron has. He was left a great product by Kobe, MJ , Larry, Magic Dr J. Could keep on going and he used and aboused the system. Can you team up with all NBA talent Yes, but there are unmention rules. So yeah the game will be better when he is gone
Nobody in a sports team FO- and especially not the owners- get to use Rage’s music as their soundtrack. Sports team owners and their front offices ARE THE MACHINE. They belong to the class of people that the band is raging against.
That’s fair and true (w Rage) but I was more or less just using the song title as a play on words
LaRavia is a sneaky good pick up. Needed shooting, that guys streaky and will get good looks. Plays the right way, plays hard atleast. Luka, LeBron and Jake not so good defensively however. None the less, a decent pick up at that price.
Good luck with the defense.
This lakers roster reminds me of the 21/22 lakers side which had Bron and AD headline with support acts from Russ, Melo, Monk, Bradley, Bazemore, Dwight and DeAndre Jordan.
Some big names but questionable chemistry and on court fit.
This time it’s Luka and Bron with Reaves, Ayton, Smart, Rui, LaRavia, Knetch and Vando.
Same issues, questionable fit and chemistry with some big names trying their best to patch the bridge of offence and defence.
Luka and Bron are both very poor defensively, Ayton although solid in the paint doesn’t do much at that end of the floor to cover for them in the paint. Your likely other starters are Reaves (no defence) and Rui. You’ve got a defensive specialist in Smart who is old and hasn’t had much minutes the past few years. Knetch is nothing but a sharpshooter really. LaRavia is a streaky shooter and doesn’t do much defensively. Then Vando again like Smart has missed a lot of time recently and doesn’t offer much offensively.
I understand the excitement for creating cap space in the future but for now this team shouldn’t get no hype going into next season.
They still seem active in making moves, I’d love to see Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber and a second round pick or two for Kyle Kuzma. That’s be a nice move.
Yes he had a poor season last year but last time he was in LA he was a really good 4th option role player for them. Bucks are that desperate they might consider it.
I hope they do that, because Kuzma is mediocre at best.
Problem in 21/22 was Russ. Bad vibe from the beginning. So I guess you can trace it back to the front office but on the court it was Russ
They will blame Ayton just like the did westbrick. Same story.
Contenders going into the season.
One piece away middle of the season
Make a trade back to contenders
Flame out in the playoffs LeBron has no help. ( This year they will blame Ayton and the role players)