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yesterday

Lakers Race to Fill Center Void as Contract Decisions Loom

Pelinka says the organization will scour trades, free-agency moves, other avenues to secure a reliable center as key contracts hang in the balance.

Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center on April 27, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 116-113 to take a 3-1 series lead.
Austin Reaves declined Los Angeles Lakers' max contract
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Overview

  • Rob Pelinka has pledged to be “super active” in trade and free-agent markets until the Lakers secure a starting center for the 2025-26 season.
  • Austin Reaves formally declined a four-year, $89.2 million max extension this week but has indicated he plans to stay in Los Angeles and pursue a new deal in 2026.
  • Dorian Finney-Smith faces a June 30 deadline on his $15.3 million player option, a decision that could send him into unrestricted free agency.
  • Los Angeles has presented an offer for Utah’s Walker Kessler and is also exploring trade proposals for Robert Williams III alongside interest in veterans such as Clint Capela and Brook Lopez.
  • Limited salary-cap space, including only a taxpayer mid-level exception, is forcing the Lakers to balance immediate roster upgrades around LeBron James and Luka Dončić.