Basketball - Los Angeles Lakers news

• Lakers Reportedly Tender Two-Way Qualifying Offer To Chris Mañon

  28-06-2026 19:20 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers signed undrafted Vanderbilt guard Chris Mañon to a two-way contract prior to the 2025-26 season. He made it into nine games with the Lakers, but spent most of the season with the G League South Bay Lakers. There, he was dominant as a defensive-minded guard.The Lakers — while still having to make major plans to fill out their parent roster around Luka Doncic — don’t want to lose Mañon in their system thanks to his efforts in 2025-26. They&rsq
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Nick Smith Jr. Team Option Declined

  30-06-2026 02:47 via lakersnation.com
  
  This offseason should be an interesting one for the Los Angeles Lakers as a lot of moves need to be made in order to vault them into championship contention.
  The Lakers have a lot of roster spots to fill, and one more just opened up as according to Keith Smith of Spotrac, they will be declining the team option of guard Nick Smith Jr. to make him a free agent:The Los Angeles Lakers declined their team option for Nick Smith Jr., a league source told @spotrac.
  Smith will be an unrestricted free age
  
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• Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Walker Kessler & Jalen Duren Meeting With Teams

  30-06-2026 01:13 via lakersnation.com
  
  It remains to be seen what direction the Los Angeles Lakers are headed in free agency, but they need to address the center position beyond just bringing back Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes.
  The two best on the market are both restricted free agents in Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz and Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons. While restricted free agent offer sheets are typically a tough market to get into, the Lakers have reported interest in both Kessler and Duren in the past and it appears both p
  
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• Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Walker Kessler & Jalen Duren Meeting With Other Teams

  30-06-2026 01:13 via lakersnation.com
  
  It remains to be seen what direction the Los Angeles Lakers are headed in free agency, but they need to address the center position beyond just bringing back Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes.
  The two best on the market are both restricted free agents in Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz and Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons. While restricted free agent offer sheets are typically a tough market to get into, the Lakers have reported interest in both Kessler and Duren in the past and it appears both p
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Maxi Kleber Likely To Return To Europe

  29-06-2026 20:18 via lakersnation.com
  
  One of the more beloved and respected players on the Los Angeles Lakers last season was veteran big man Maxi Kleber. While he wasn’t a regular member of the rotation, he was always ready any time his number was called and provided a real impact on multiple occasions throughout the year.
  Kleber is an unrestricted free agent this summer, but it is looking like he won’t be returning to the NBA next season. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, the veteran is monitoring his Europea
  
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• Marcus Smart Rumors: Rockets Most Likely Team To Sign Veteran Guard

  29-06-2026 19:40 via lakersnation.com
  
  The expectation is that Marcus Smart will decline his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and test unrestricted free agency.
  Once that happens, the Houston Rockets have already emerged as a potential suitor for Smart. In fact, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Smart signing with the Rockets is viewed as the most likely scenario in the coming days:
  As option day approaches, the belief around the league, according to multiple sources, is that Lakers guard Marcus Smart will
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Marcus Smart Declines Player Option To Become Free Agent

  29-06-2026 19:06 via lakersnation.com
  
  Coming off a season in which he revived his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Marcus Smart had a decision to make.
  He was given a player option for the 2026-27 season worth $5.4 million that he needed to decide if he wanted to pick up or decline. And to no surprise, Smart will be declining it to become an unrestricted free agent, per NBA insider Chris Hayes:Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart is declining his $5.4M player option to become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me. p
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Rockets Are Most Likely Team To Land Marcus Smart

  29-06-2026 18:16 via lakersnation.com
  
  The expectation is that Marcus Smart will decline his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and test unrestricted free agency.
  Once that happens, the Houston Rockets have already emerged as a potential suitor for Smart. In fact, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Smart signing with the Rockets is viewed as the most likely scenario in the coming days:
  As option day approaches, the belief around the league, according to multiple sources, is that Lakers guard Marcus Smart will
  
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• Warriors’ Interest In LeBron James Reportedly Leading To Conversation With Lakers About Future

  29-06-2026 17:36 via lakersnation.com
  
  Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James signing with the Golden State Warriors in free agency seems to be picking up steam as they are also trying to acquire Anthony Davis as a way to lure the 41-year-old to the Bay Area.
  According to recent reports, the Lakers had not yet spoken to James about a new contract, but it appears that is about to change, per NBA insider Chris Haynes:LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers still have yet to have a conversation regarding his future but that’s expected t
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Deandre Ayton Exercises Player Option For 2026-27 Season

  29-06-2026 17:08 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers have many decisions to make for the 2026-27 season with free agency beginning on Tuesday, June 30. One decision that was not theirs, however, was the player option on starting center Deandre Ayton’s second season. Ayton signed a two-year, $16.2 million deal last summer after a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers, and served admirably as the team’s starter in 2025-26.Ayton’s deal included a player option worth $8.1 million for the upcoming season, which
  
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• Luke Kennard Reveals What He Learned From LeBron James

  29-06-2026 16:11 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers’ lone trade deadline acquisition last season ended up being a good one as Luke Kennard came in and fit perfectly with the roster, even stepping up his game in the playoffs when key players missed time due to injury.
  Getting to play for the Lakers was special for Kennard as he got to team up with LeBron James. Both players grew up in Ohio, and Kennard notably broke James’ high school state scoring record. While the future is currently up in the air for both, Ken
  
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• Lakers Free Agent Rumors: Interest In Ziaire Williams

  29-06-2026 15:00 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the teams to watch heading into free agency as they project to be one of the only teams with significant cap space.
  The Lakers are known to be looking to get younger and more athletic on the wing, and one option may be coming into focus as the Brooklyn Nets decided to decline the $6.5 million team option on Ziaire Williams. Now that the Los Angeles area native is set to reach free agency, the Lakers are among the teams with interest, per Dan Woike of The Athleti
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Warriors Trying To Land Both LeBron James & Anthony Davis

  29-06-2026 06:08 via lakersnation.com
  
  When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Anthony Davis to pair with LeBron James, the duo came together to win a championship in their first season together.
  Now, another franchise is trying to recreate that magic as according to Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, the Golden State Warriors are attempting to land both James and Davis to reunite them this offseason:
  The Warriors are attempting to trade for Wizards big Anthony Davis and then sign Lakers free-agent forward LeBron James, according to
  
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• Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Nets, Spurs Have Interest In Rui Hachimura

  28-06-2026 22:07 via lakersnation.com
  
  NBA free agency begins on Tuesday, June 30, and perhaps no team in the league has more unanswered questions than the Los Angeles Lakers. They’ve added one rookie in 3-and-D wing Cameron Carr and agreed to terms on a four-year max contract with Austin Reaves, but the free agencies of LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and nearly the entire rest of the roster remain in flux.The Lakers have to find a balance between retaining their own players that fit alongside Luka Doncic and Reaves, while also im
  
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• Lakers Reportedly Had Discussions With Heat For Tyler Herro & Kel’el Ware Before Re-Signing Austin Reaves

  28-06-2026 21:00 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers have made one major move so far this offseason, and that has been agreeing to terms on a new contract with Austin Reaves worth $185 million over four years. However, prior to that announced agreement, rumors began circulating that other teams were preparing max offers for the 28-year-old guard, which meant he could possibly sign elsewhere.
  With that bein the case, it appears the Lakers were looking at some contingency plans. The Miami Heat made the biggest move of the offs
  
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• Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Interest In Dean Wade & Jock Landale

  28-06-2026 18:25 via lakersnation.com
  
  As one of the only teams with projected cap space, the Los Angeles Lakers are naturally going to be linked to just about every free agent on the market.
  According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, one of those players is Dean Wade of the Cleveland Cavaliers:
  Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is expected to have various suitors in free agency, including the Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers, league sou
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Trade Interest In Nuggets’ Cameron Johnson

  28-06-2026 17:15 via lakersnation.com
  
  The NBA offseason transaction period is underway, and the Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of work to do to improve their roster to compete for a championship.
  The good news is that the Lakers can open up the most cap space in the NBA, and they also have two first-round picks to trade in 2031 and 2033 if they want. One player to pay attention to on the trade market seems to be Cameron Johnson of the Denver Nuggets, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype:
  Meanwhile, as the Nuggets navigate getting below th
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Deandre Ayton Expected To Pick Up Player Option

  28-06-2026 16:43 via lakersnation.com
  
  Deandre Ayton’s first season with the Los Angeles Lakers was filled with ups and downs, giving him an interesting decision to make this offseason.
  When Ayton was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers last summer, he signed a two-year, $16.2 million contract with L.A. that included an $8.1 million player option for the 2026-27 season as he looked to revive his career in a competitive environment. It appears Ayton is expected to pick up that option, per Kurt Helin of NBC Sports:
  It’
  
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• Cameron Carr Excited To Learn From Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves

  28-06-2026 16:10 via lakersnation.com
  
  Leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft, there was a lot of speculation regarding what the Los Angeles Lakers would do with the 25th pick. Ultimately, L.A. decided on trading up to No. 24 with the New York Knicks to select Baylor guard Cameron Carr.
  Carr was mocked to go before Los Angeles’ selection but wound up sliding a bit and the Lakers pounced on the opportunity to draft him. Now becoming teammates with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, he is excited to learn from them.
  “First things fir
  
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• Lakers Add Robert McCray V & Jacari White On Exhibit 10 Contracts

  27-06-2026 21:45 via lakersnation.com
  
  The NBA Draft has come and gone for the Los Angeles Lakers, with Cameron Carr being their first-round selection at No. 24. L.A. traded into the second round with hopes of making another selection, but opted to trade out when no centers remained at No. 56.
  Once the draft concludes, a flurry of moves occurs across the league as teams sign undrafted players to two-way contracts, Exhibit 10 and Summer League deals. Los Angeles is no exception, as they begin to fill out a Summer League roster with Fl
  
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• Lakers Rumors: Rockets Interested In Signing Marcus Smart

  27-06-2026 19:36 via lakersnation.com
  
  Marcus Smart was a major catalyst in the Los Angeles Lakers getting past the Houston Rockets in the first round. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sidelined, Smart stepped up as an on-ball creator and did a great job orchestrating offense.
  Before the postseason, the former Defensive Player of the Year proved how integral a piece he was for L.A. and it makes sense to re-sign him to a new deal should he decline his player option and reach free agency. Ironically, Houston appears to be interested
  
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• Cameron Carr Believes Defense Will Get Him On Court For Lakers

  27-06-2026 18:45 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason is officially underway as the 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone. The Lakers had one pick in the first round and wound up trading up from 25 to 24 to draft Cameron Carr out of Baylor.
  Carr was mocked around picks 15-20, and his slight frame presumably played a role in his falling to Los Angeles. However, he is an athletic guard and the rookie described his game as explosive and dominant.
  “I’d probably say explosive, dominant,” Carr said dur
  
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• Lakers Reportedly Figuring Out How To Use Cap Space Before Making Offer To LeBron James

  27-06-2026 17:18 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers had two major questions coming into this offseason in terms of retaining their stars. With Austin Reaves agreeing to a new four-year contract to return to the team, all of the attention now turns towards LeBron James.
  James is an unrestricted free agent and if he chooses to play a 24th NBA season it is unclear whether or not he will return to the Lakers. While those questions remain unanswered, the latest update is that the Lakers have yet to make an offer to the 41-year-o
  
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• LeBron James To Speak At Boardroom’s Game Plan Summit At Fanatics Fest NYC

  27-06-2026 16:58 via lakersnation.com
  
  CNBC Sport and Boardroom have announced that they will be hosting the fourth annual Game Plan Summit on July 16 at Fanatics Fest NYC. This summit brings together many of the top and most influential leaders in all of sports and one of the speakers will be Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
  The Game Plan Summit brings together athletes, owners, investors and innovators to explore the ideas, opportunities and emerging trends shaping the next era of sports. James will be one of many speaker
  
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• Darryn Peterson Takes Inspiration From Kobe Bryant To Next Level

  27-06-2026 16:10 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Utah Jazz selected Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Despite a somewhat tumultuous season with the Jayhawks, many feel that Peterson has the highest ceiling of any player in this draft class with him even drawing comparisons to a young Kobe Bryant.
  There are very few players who have been compared to the Los Angeles Lakers’ icon, but Peterson has that level of skill in his game. He also has the work ethic as he spoke about his desire to ge
  
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• Lakers News: Cameron Carr Hoping To Put On Weight This Offseason

  27-06-2026 15:00 via lakersnation.com
  
  The first addition of the offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers came in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. General manager Rob Pelinka selected Baylor wing Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick, who got introduced on Friday in a press conference.Carr, 21, shined with the Baylor Bears last season, averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game on solid 49.4/37.4/80.1 shooting splits. Carr has a 7’1″ wingspan despite being 6’5″ tall, and brings tool
  
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• Lakers News: Cameron Carr Hoping To Put On Weight Before Rookie Season

  27-06-2026 15:00 via lakersnation.com
  
  The first addition of the offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers came in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. General manager Rob Pelinka selected Baylor wing Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick, who got introduced on Friday in a press conference.Carr, 21, shined with the Baylor Bears last season, averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game on solid 49.4/37.4/80.1 shooting splits. Carr has a 7’1″ wingspan despite being 6’5″ tall, and brings tool
  
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• Cameron Carr Expresses Excitement At Lakers Introductory Press Conference

  27-06-2026 00:30 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers traded up one spot with the New York Knicks to ensure they got the player they wanted, Baylor guard Cameron Carr, with the 24th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Many expected the Lakers to target a big man as that is a major need, but instead they opted for one of the most athletic players in the draft.
  Carr checks a lot of boxes for what the Lakers need on the perimeter and at his introductory press conference the rookie spoke about what it means to be drafted by the L
  
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• Lakers’ 2026 Las Vegas Summer League Schedule

  26-06-2026 20:00 via lakersnation.com
  
  The schedule for the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League has officially been announced. The Summer League goes from July 9-19 and the Los Angeles Lakers will begin their journey against the team who ended their season, the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 10.In fact, all of the Lakers’ contests will be against teams who had picks in the lottery of the 2026 NBA Draft so they will be taking on some of the top prospects to come out this year.
  The Lakers will actually have a back-to-back to kick off the
  
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• How To Watch Rob Pelinka & Cameron Carr Lakers Press Conference

  26-06-2026 19:20 via lakersnation.com
  
  The Los Angeles Lakers selected 21-year-old two-way wing Cameron Carr out of Baylor University with the No. 24 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. He will appear publicly as a Laker for the first time with general manager Rob Pelinka in a press conference on Friday, June 26 at 2:30 p.m. PT at the UCLA Health Training Center.Carr is just the third player the Lakers have selected — and kept — in the first round since 2018, and he is looking to become the first since that same year to become an
  
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