![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Austin-Reaves-vert-200x300.jpg\")
Austin Reaves<\/a>: Four years, $180,000,000. Fourth-year player option. Re-signed using Bird rights.\nWalker Kessler<\/a>: Four years, $129,467,930. Fourth-year player option. Trade kicker (15%). Acquired from Jazz via sign-and-trade using cap room.
\nQuentin Grimes<\/a>: Four years, $60,000,000. Fourth-year player option. Signed using cap room.
\nSandro Mamukelashvili<\/a>: Four years, $52,000,000. Fourth-year player option. Signed using cap room.
\nCollin Sexton<\/a>: Two years, $19,200,300. Second-year player option. Signed using room exception.
\nKevon Looney<\/a>: One year, minimum salary. Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
\nMatisse Thybulle<\/a>: One year, minimum salary. Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
\nZiaire Williams<\/a>: One year, minimum salary. Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.<\/p>\n
Trades<\/p>\n
Acquired the draft rights to Cameron Carr<\/a> (No. 24 pick) from the Knicks in a four-team trade in exchange for the draft rights to Louis Labeyrie<\/a>, the draft rights to Chinemelu Elonu<\/a>, and cash ($3MM). Draft picks<\/p>\n 1-24: Cameron Carr<\/a><\/p>\n Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $16,821,493). First two years guaranteed. Third- and fourth-year team options.<\/p>\n Two-way signings<\/p>\n Arthur Kaluma<\/a><\/p>\n One year, $91,000 partial guarantee (will increase to $339,441 at start of regular season).<\/p>\n Chris Manon<\/a><\/p>\n One year, $91,000 partial guarantee (will increase to $339,441 at start of regular season).<\/p>\n AK Okereke<\/a><\/p>\n One year, $91,000 partial guarantee.<\/p>\n Departed\/unsigned free agents<\/p>\n Other roster moves<\/p>\n Signed Peter Suder<\/a> to a two-way contract and then waived him.<\/p>\n Salary cap situation<\/p>\n Note: Figures are rounded to one decimal place.<\/p>\n Operating over the cap ($165MM) and below the first tax apron ($209MM). The offseason so far<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a busy summer in Los Angeles. Majority owner Mark Walter recently agreed<\/a> to sell his controlling stake in the Lakers at a $12.5 billion valuation just 14 months after reaching an agreement<\/a> to buy the team for a record-setting valuation of $10 billion and less than 10 months after the NBA\u2019s Board of Governors approved that sale<\/a>.<\/p>\n Assuming Walter\u2019s sale goes through, the new majority owners will be Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger. Kusher founded venture capital firm Thrive Capital, which backed several tech startups. Iger, meanwhile, had two stints as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company (2005-20 and 2022-26) and now serves as an adviser to Thrive.<\/p>\n While the ownership news certainly came as a surprise, it was just the latest major change in an eventful Lakers offseason. LeBron James<\/a> decided to leave L.A. after eight years with the organization \u2014 the four-time MVP and four-time champion signed<\/a> a two-year, minimum-salary contract with Philadelphia at the end of July.<\/p>\n The Lakers also parted ways with Jaxson Hayes<\/a>, Rui Hachimura<\/a>, Luke Kennard<\/a> and Marcus Smart<\/a>, all of whom found new teams in free agency. Maxi Kleber<\/a>, Nick Smith Jr.<\/a> and Drew Timme<\/a>, who ended last season with Los Angeles, have yet to sign with new clubs.<\/p>\n Just a few days after Deandre Ayton<\/a> exercised his $8.1MM player option for 2026\/27, the Lakers traded last season\u2019s starting center to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy<\/a> and a pair of second-round picks.<\/p>\n Renouncing those players\u2019 rights and trading Ayton enabled the Lakers to maximize their cap room, which they used to overhaul their roster in free agency. The first major addition was restricted free agent Walker Kessler<\/a>, and the Rob Pelinka-led front office paid a significant price to acquire the team\u2019s new starting center in a sign-and-trade with Utah. In addition to giving Kessler a four-year, $129.5MM contract, the Lakers sent the Jazz two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps.<\/p>\n Shortly after reaching an agreement to acquire Kessler on July 1, Pelinka quickly agreed to sign Quentin Grimes<\/a> (four years, $60MM), Sandro Mamukelashvili<\/a> (four years, $52MM) and Collin Sexton<\/a> (two years, $19.2MM). Kessler, Grimes and Mamukelashvili were acquired using cap room, while Sexton was signed using the room exception.<\/p>\n After all of those moves were completed, the Lakers finalized their four-year, $180MM contract with Austin Reaves<\/a> using his Bird rights. Reaves, Kessler, Grimes, Mamukelashvili and Sexton all received player options in the final years of their respective contracts.<\/p>\n The Lakers added some depth pieces this summer as well, essentially landing No. 24 overall pick Cameron Carr<\/a> for the 25th selection and $3MM in cash and signing veterans Kevon Looney<\/a>, Matisse Thybulle<\/a> and Ziaire Williams<\/a> to minimum-salary contracts.<\/p>\n For what it\u2019s worth, star guard Luka Doncic<\/a> expressed<\/a> excitement last month about the Lakers\u2019 new-look roster. He also recently said his hamstring is \u201c100 percent healthy<\/a>\u201d after a Grade 2 strain caused him to miss the 2026 playoffs.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we have a really good team,\u201d Doncic said in July<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m very excited to start a new season. Obviously last season didn\u2019t end how we wanted, so I\u2019m very excited for the new one.\u201d<\/p>\n Up next<\/p>\n With 16 players<\/a> on guaranteed standard contracts, the Lakers are facing a bit of a roster crunch, as one of those players will have to be traded or waived before the regular season begins in October. Adou Thiero<\/a> ($2.15MM) and Bronny James<\/a> ($2.3MM) are technically owed the least guaranteed money, though Dalton Knecht<\/a> ($4.2MM) seems to have fallen out of favor and is another candidate to be traded or cut.<\/p>\n
\nAcquired the draft rights to Vsevolod Ishchenko<\/a> (No. 56 pick) from the Bulls in exchange for cash ($1,714,000).
\nAcquired cash ($1.7MM) from the Mavericks in exchange for the draft rights to Vsevolod Ishchenko<\/a> (No. 56 pick).
\nAcquired Jaden Hardy<\/a>, the Wizards\u2019 2031 second-round pick, and the Wizards\u2019 2032 second-round pick from the Wizards in exchange for Deandre Ayton<\/a>.
\nAcquired Walker Kessler<\/a> (via sign-and-trade) from the Jazz in exchange for the Lakers\u2019 2031 first-round pick, the Lakers\u2019 2033 first-round pick, the right to swap 2028 first-round picks, and the right to swap 2030 first-round picks.<\/p>\n
\nHard-capped at first apron.
\nTeam salary: $200.9MM (tax\/apron).
\nAbove luxury tax line by $469K; below hard cap by $8.1MM.
\nNo cap exceptions available.<\/p>\n