The LA Lakers this season have been legitimate contenders for the championship and since acquiring Luka Doncic and pairing him up with LeBron James they have been one of the best duo in the league compared to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown or even Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns and they have been just as good as those duos I just named and LeBron James is doing that at 40 and since his main objective is more passing than scoring so he can leave all the scoring to Luka Doncic and they also have a great defensive player in the squad of Dorian Finney Smith but what they do need is a center and a shooting guard and some trades they could are for for Nic Claxton and he could be traded for Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and a 2031 First-Round Pick (LAL) because Nic Claxton might not be the flashiest name on this list, but he could be exactly what the Lakers need. The 25-year-old center has been a defensive stalwart for Brooklyn, averaging 1.4 blocks per game and anchoring the 9th-ranked defence (111.5 OPPG) despite the Nets' overall struggles. His ability to switch onto guards, protect the rim, and finish lobs would be a perfect fit next to Doncic and LeBron. Brooklyn, meanwhile, might be open to moving him if they go into a full rebuild. Hachimura gives them an offensive-minded forward, and the Lakers’ 2031 pick is an intriguing long-term asset. For the Lakers, Claxton wouldn’t just fill a positional need—he’d also bring youth and athleticism to a frontcourt that desperately lacks it. If they can pull this off, it’s a no-brainer. Maybe they can trade for Zach Lavine for Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and a 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAL) because Zach LaVine’s name has been swirling in trade rumors all season, and after a surprising trade to the Kings following a disappointing stint with the Bulls, his value has dropped. The Lakers would be gambling on a high-scoring guard who’s putting up 23.1 PPG but has battled injuries and inconsistency over the last few seasons. However, if healthy, LaVine would give the Lakers another elite shot-creator to take pressure off Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The biggest concern? His defensive lapses and hefty contract that will pay him $47.5 million next year. Sacramento is reportedly looking to shake things up after trading De'Aaron Fox and acquiring young pieces like Reaves and Hachimura while offloading LaVine’s contract could appeal to them. The Lakers would be sacrificing depth, but the upside is undeniable—LaVine’s explosive scoring could make the Lakers an offensive juggernaut. If they believe he can stay on the floor and regain his All-Star form, it’s a risk worth considering. Other players would be a package of the Utah Jazz with Walker Kessler and Colin Sexton for Dalton Knetch and Rui Hatchimura because this is a home run trade for the Lakers. Walker Kessler is an elite shot-blocker (2.4 BPG) who would instantly fix their interior defense, and Collin Sexton (18.1 PPG) gives them another dynamic scorer. If the Jazz decide to go full rebuild, moving these two for young assets makes sense. Hachimura is a solid piece and Knecht has tons of promise as a sharpshooter, but Kessler’s defensive impact and Sexton’s scoring punch make this an easy win for L.A. If they can convince Utah to pull the trigger, the Lakers should be all over it. Now talking about the playoff in the west there are really good teams like the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, there is also the Oklahoma City Thunder who have the best record in the Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Jaylen Williams and Chet Holmegren and lastly there is also a young team like the Houston Rockets who have Jalen Green and Alpren Sengun. And with all of those all stars and great players the LA Lakers have to bring all the power if they want to bring any of those teams to 7 games like the Oklahoma City Thunder and in my opinion they would need Luka Doncic to be on his A game and so would LeBron defensively and offensively but they still have a good chance of making the finals and winning the championship and that would make LeBron the greatest of all time over Michael Jordan in my opinion. The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to end the 2024-25 NBA season on a high after setting their franchise up for years by acquiring 26-year-old superstar Luka Doncic. The team has a franchise piece to build around in the post-LeBron James era, which will give them a clear blueprint on how to construct their roster over the summer. As it stands, the Lakers will go into next season with nine players under contract. Doncic is the biggest name to head into next season, while crucial role players like Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves are also going to remain under contract. However, the team will be at the mercy of LeBron choosing his next move as the forward has a player option on his contract. This might be a summer of major changes in LA, so let's look at the players who have contracts for next season to stay in LA and who could be departing in free agency. Some Players Under Contract are Luka Doncic -$45,999,660, Rui Hachimura - $18,259,250, Austin Reaves - $13,937,574, Jarred Vanderbilt - $11,571,429, Gabe Vincent - $11,500,000, Maxi Kleber - $11,000,000, Dalton Knecht - $4,010,160, Shake Milton - $3,000,000 (non-guaranteed), Bronny James - $1,955,377. The Lakers will have a very competitive core of players on the roster for next season unless they trade them away in the offseason. Doncic is the key name, although he will be eligible for a contract extension that the Lakers will have to move fast on offering. He's under contract till 2026, so they are guaranteed to get him for next season. Other players under contract till 2026 include most of the players on this list. Hachimura will be out of contract while Reaves will have a player option for $14.8 million, which he is expected to decline for a new deal. Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber will also be free agents after next season, so the contract concerns will be greater heading into the 2026 free agency. The only players under multi-year contracts are Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and Bronny James. Bronny is the only one who has a guaranteed contract for 2026-27, with both Vanderbilt and Kneht reliant on exercising contract options to extend their stay with the franchise. All of this applies if none of them get traded before the end of next season, although the franchise can rest easy this summer. Oh wait, there's a major name missing. Some Player Options are LeBron James -$52,627,153, Dorian Finney-Smith $15,378,480. As has become customary every season, LeBron could be heading into free agency if he declines the $52.6 million player option on the contract he signed last season. James has usually declined these options to re-sign with the Lakers over the last seven seasons, but this year might be different. If James decides next year, his 23rd in the NBA, will be his final season, he might as well accept his option which will keep his no-trade clause active for next year. He could renegotiate and do the same as well, but we think he'll likely stay with the franchise and retire in Lakers colors. Dorian Finney-Smith is an interesting potential free agent. His skill set is incredibly valuable, but he'll be taking a huge risk by testing free agency and declining a $15.3 million option. He stands to benefit more with a full season on the Lakers next to his good friend Luka, alongside whom he has always performed well. Some Players that will be a Free Agents Jaxson Hayes - UFA, Cam Reddish - UFA, Markieff Morris - UFA, Alex Len - UFA. The outgoing free agents are all minuscule contributors on the franchise right now, except one who's seen his role massively expanded mid-season. The team already tried trading Cam Reddish to the Charlotte Hornets and failed, so it's unlikely they bring him back as a free agent in the summer. Markieff Morris was an inclusion in the Doncic trade, but he might just return if the Lakers value him as a locker-room veteran the same way the Mavericks did when they signed him in the last two summers. Alex Len was an emergency acquisition to add some center depth to the roster after the failed Mark Williams trade. He hasn't looked good with the franchise, so he's bound to leave in free agency. This leaves Jaxson Hayes, who could play his way into a contract extension this season as he's now the team's de facto center and is an athletic lob catcher who could shine alongside Doncic and LeBron.