The NBA has shifted the manner in which it hands out contracts, builds out its rotations, and ultimately balances short-term goals with sustainability. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be operating in a way that doesn't quite align with what the new standards have become.
In short: While the rest of the NBA is protecting its future while investing in its present, the Lakers continue to throw caution to the wind and pay the price for their gambles.
The 2026 offseason has been highlighted by players joining new teams and receiving surprisingly cautious contracts. Even high-level role players have received partial or non-guaranteed salaries beyond the first season of their new deals, with options often being included that favor the team.
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line made note of the trend, even referencing former Lakers forward Rui Hachimura as one of the players who embodied the shift in mentality.
"Hachimura's two-year deal with the Clippers, meanwhile, features a team option in Year 2, only amplifying one of the major trends in free agency this summer: It has been very difficult for players switching teams (a la Norm Powell, John Collins, Keon Ellis, etc.) to secure guaranteed money beyond Year 1 of their new deals."
That sparked an interesting conversation on social media that centered aroudn how Los Angeles seemed to scoff at the trend by handing out guaranteed long-term money and player options.
The Lakers really got taken advantage of. They had tons of cap room, a premier market, in his prime superstar so in theory held a lot of cards. But they gave out the most guaranteed money AND player options... https://t.co/UNcujYq9Gq
— Shamit Dua (@FearTheBrown) July 7, 2026
Unfortunately, that's on brand for a Los Angeles side that's been in the habit of giving out player options and guaranteed multi-year contracts throughout the Pelinka era.
This is kind of just what the Lakers do. By my quick count, the Lakers have handed out 19 free agent contracts with guaranteed roster spots in the past four offseasons and signed three contract extensions in that window. Of those 22 total contracts, 16 have had player options.… https://t.co/hJTFliOkBz
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) July 7, 2026
Perhaps this is Pelinka's way of building strong relationships with potentially interested talent, but it's also been responsible for Los Angeles' erratic success during his tenure.
Lakers keep leaving their fate in the hands of players who might not fit
Despite the NBA's shift toward prioritizing financial safety, the Lakers handed out four-year contracts to Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Both Grimes and Mamukelashvili are quality and productive players, but they've yet to play a single game for Los Angeles.
Despite not having definitive proof that they'll actually fit under head coach JJ Redick or with their new teammates, they received three fully guaranteed seasons and fourth-year player options on their deals.
One could argue that their contracts aren't terribly prohibitive, as Grimes will average $15 million per season and Mamukelashvili will receive $13 million a year. For as fair as that is, the Lakers are actively attempting to move Jarred Vanderbilt, who's playing on a contract that's even less lucrative, due to how his presence on the salary cap table has prevented them from pursuing other options.
If either Grimes or Mamukelashvili underperform in 2026-27 or 2027-28, the Lakers could find it even more difficult to move them given how many years would be remaining on their respective contracts.
The player options alone could prove brutal, as they have in the past. As Sam Quinn of CBS noted in his aforementioned post on X, Los Angeles has consistently left its roster in the hands of rentals and potential poor fits deciding whether or not they can realistically make more money by opting in or out.
Unfortunately, the Lakers continue to make long-term commitments to players who haven't yet proven they fit. It's the risk that will now make or break the Doncic era.
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