Los Angeles Lakers: 4 players who are playing for their next contract

By Jason Reed | Apr 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 28: Montrezl Harrell #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on April 28, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers have several big-name players who are going to be free agents after this season. While we should all trust in Rob Pelinka to do the right thing, it does put the team in a precarious position when it comes to building another contender in 2021-22.

Right now, the focus on the Lakers is getting healthy and hopefully making a deep run in the NBA Playoffs and winning the team’s record 18 championship. While that is the main goal, these upcoming free agents are playing for something extra as well.

Their next contract, whether it’s with the Los Angeles Lakers or elsewhere.

There are upcoming free agents who could not play a single game the rest of the year and the Lakers will likely still prioritize re-signing them. The biggest of which is Alex Caruso and Talen Horton Tucker.

Caruso is an unrestricted free agent while THT is a restricted free agent. Both being young and great defensive players, we already know that the Lakers are going to pay them what they are worth.

That is, of course, some team comes over the top on THT with a poison pill offer sheet that the Lakers cannot physically match.

Those two represent homegrown talent for the Los Angeles Lakers. As you can imagine, the players playing for their next contract are not quite homegrown. Let’s get into the four players who are not only playing for a championship, but their next contract as well.

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