The Lakers’ offseason is already taking shape around one big promise: they’re not planning to sit still.
ESPN’s Shams Charania said on SportsCenter on Tuesday that Rob Pelinka has been busy behind the scenes, meeting with multiple free agents as Los Angeles tries to reshape the roster after a rough start to free agency. Charania said those talks have included restricted free agents Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren, along with other unrestricted options, and that the Lakers are aiming to add size, shooting and backcourt help.
“Right now, as we speak, Lakers president Rob Pelinka has been in the midst of multiple meetings with free agents,” Charania said. “That includes restricted free agents like Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren.
That includes other unrestricted free agents as well. They’re going to prioritize some size, shooting, backcourt help.
I think all of it.
“And they’re going to have $50 million in cap space now that LeBron James has informed them that they can move on with their business and he’s going to move on with theirs elsewhere,” Charania continued. “So, right now, that’s what their priorities are.
They’re going to use their cap space. They have exceptions as well.
They’re going to be aggressive to try to fill this roster out with multiple different types of players.”
That urgency matters, because the Lakers have already seen some mixed news on the open market. Austin Reaves appears likely to remain, while LeBron James is leaving and Luke Kennard is heading to the Phoenix Suns.
There are already signs of the kind of depth Los Angeles may be chasing. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes are expected to sign with the Lakers, and both fit the mold Charania described.
Mamukelashvili, a 6’9″ center/forward, shot 38.9% from three for the Toronto Raptors in 2025-26. Grimes would give them a useful backup guard after averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2025-26.
Still, the biggest question hanging over the Lakers’ summer is what happens at center. Deandre Ayton has opted into his $8.1 million player option for 2026-27, but he doesn’t look like the answer as a starter. Kessler and Duren would be far more appealing options if Los Angeles could land one.
Kessler put up 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game for the Utah Jazz in 2025-26, though he was limited to just five games because of injury. Even so, his defensive presence and rim-running ability make him the kind of big man Luka Doncic would want alongside him.
Duren brings a different profile. He’s not known as a strong defender, but he’s effective in the pick-and-roll. In 2025-26, he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game for the Detroit Pistons and earned All-NBA Third Team honors.
The catch is that both Kessler and Duren are restricted free agents, which means the Jazz and Pistons can match any offer. The Pistons are reportedly prepared to match whatever Duren signs, and that makes the odds of either player ending up in Los Angeles pretty slim.
If the Lakers have to move deeper down the board, the center market gets thinner fast. Mitchell Robinson has been linked to them, but he’s more of a backup and there are questions about the fit. Gary Trent Jr. is another name to watch, and his career 38.7% mark from three would help address the shooting need.
More names will surface soon, but the real judgment on this offseason will come down to the final roster. If Los Angeles doesn’t clearly improve on last season, the pressure on Pelinka is only going to get louder.
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