As the 2025-26 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers has concluded, a league-wide understanding of improvement has become clear. From lackluster regular-season results to eye-opening playoff series, rosters need to be revamped. With free agency ramping up, the Lakers are hitting the ground running.
In what has been a shocking 48 hours, the Lakers have lost LeBron James and gained a handful of other players. In their attempt at replacing a Hall of Fame caliber player, they may have jumped the gun in desperation. While not just signing players to contracts that scream overpay, but they also lost out on valuable future draft picks as well. The organization may feel strong in these moves as it currently stands, but may have to answer for things on the backend of these contracts.
Lakers Overpay Like Never Before
Losing arguably the best player in the history of the sport is a tough pill to swallow. What’s more difficult is lacking a true center in the modern NBA. Losing James seemed to open the door for that possibility, and the job was completed with swiftness. Los Angeles acquired Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz, in exchange for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
Kessler will sign an eye-opening, $130 million deal with the Lakers. He has been a name intertwined with the organization for some time, but too much has been given in return for a 14.4 points-per-game player. Their need for a true big in the paint has been met, but not before giving up future first-round picks. Additions did not quite stop with Kessler, as Rob Pelinka managed to acquire both Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes.
With both contracts being for four years, this will have cost the organization $112 million over that time. Both players have much room for improvement, and may have been able to take less money for the same opportunity at a championship. The Lakers now have no tradeable first-round picks over the next seven years. Also, with many eyebrows raised, they committed $475 million to Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Kessler. This does not include the contracts of the other free agents brought to the team.
This Can Either End Bad Or Great
There is no in-between for the Lakers going into the 2026-27 season of play. This team can either be an all-around force for the West, or a group of players who spend the season attempting to gel together. Losing a piece like LeBron and picking up the pieces is not easy, yet it is now their only option.
A positive throughout all of the recent news is that familiar names in Dončić and Reaves will still be leading the way. Both are top-tier caliber players, now given the reins to lead as young superstars in the NBA. Talent in the West will only continue to rise, but the Lakers may be on the downside in their future ability to attract more players due to their oversized contracts.
It was surprising to see Los Angeles fill out their roster within a couple of hours, while also giving up future first-round picks. For the next four years, this will be a trial-and-error on display, and the organization will be left to answer for its actions if these moves prove to be stagnant in terms of more success.
