With the playoffs inching ever so close, it's hard to ignore an obvious trend with the Los Angeles Lakers roster this season. Aside from Luka Doncic, the Lakers' front office hasn't committed long-term money to any of its core players this season.
LeBron James, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Luke Kennard are all set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. On top of those four, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart all have player options they are likely to decline.
For some teams, this would be incredibly worrisome, but for Los Angeles, it’s actually becoming an advantage for Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick.
With so many core pieces set to expire, they are all trying to prove to the other 29 teams in the league that they have value. In turn, this has made LA stronger than ever as the playoffs approach. This uptick in production isn't just affecting role players like Smart, Kennard, Hachimura, and Ayton—it's even making LeBron and Reaves take their play up a notch.
That contract year vibe is helping the Lakers surge
We see it in every sport: players often have their best seasons in contract years, as the hunger and desire to prove themselves are at their highest
It’s similar to working a regular job, and you're coming to the end of a term, so you kick things up a notch. For the Lakers, this has translated perfectly, as since the All-Star break, the team is 13-5, and everyone appears to be fully invested in their respective roles.
In the modern NBA, being a role player isn't just about scoring points or getting stops—it's about attitude and a willingness to buy in. The Lakers have seen exactly that from Ayton, who took a step back and probably realized if he didn’t adjust, he may end up out of the league after this season.
He bought in to playing a scaled-back role. The same goes for someone like Hachimura, who has accepted coming off the bench and even providing small-ball five minutes.
Obviously, for a player like LeBron, the impact of a contract year isn't the same as for someone like Ayton, given the legacy and reputation he's built as arguably the greatest player ever.
That said, the Athletic's Sam Amick reported that this could be the end of LeBron’s journey in LA. He is in a mode where he has to show other contenders he is still an elite second or third option to earn one final massive contract.
We are seeing that through his play lately. He's not commanding the Lakers offense as much as he did in the past, but rather deferring to Luka and focusing more on the playmaking side of his game.
The same goes for Reaves, who is trying to get the biggest payday possible as he enters the prime years of his career. For him, the scoring stats have taken a minor hit lately, but his defensive intensity and willingness to sacrifice his own numbers to help the team will definitely help in extension talks.
For some teams, having seven key players expected to hit the market in the midst of a playoff push could be daunting. For the Lakers, it's a blessing.