The Lakers are looking for exactly one thing this offseason: younger, more athletic wings who can defend and space the floor. One name now in that mix is Ziaire Williams, after the Brooklyn Nets declined his $6.25 million team option for 2026-27.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, Williams is a player Los Angeles could pursue when free agency opens.
“According to a league source, one player the Lakers could take a look at in free agency is Brooklyn small forward Zaire Williams, who had his team option declined by the Nets on Sunday,” Woike wrote. “The Lakers have desires to get younger and more athletic on the wing, and Williams is coming off back-to-back seasons in Brooklyn where he averaged more than 10 points and shot better than 34 percent from 3-point range.”
Williams, 24, has put together two solid seasons since Brooklyn acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies in 2024. In 2025-26, he averaged 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 34.3% from deep.
The news that the Nets turned down his option came from the New York Post’s Brian Lewis on Sunday. Brooklyn could still try to bring him back, but if it does, the Lakers may be waiting in the wings.
“The bet for the Lakers would be that at 6-9 with a nearly 40-inch vertical leap, that Williams could be an impact defensive player with room for growth on the offensive side of the ball,” Woike wrote. “He has fans inside the Lakers’ facility. There are local connections too - Williams was a teammate of Bronny James at Sierra Canyon.”
Williams isn’t a true lockdown stopper, but he would still give the Lakers more on the perimeter than many of the wings they used last season. He’s also taken steps forward offensively in Brooklyn, and Luka Doncic would make the fit easier.
He wouldn’t be a headline-grabbing addition, but Williams could be a useful piece next to Doncic and Austin Reaves, who has agreed to a four-year, $185 million deal. For Los Angeles, the formula is pretty clear: athletic wings who can defend and hit threes.
Williams isn’t the only name tied to the Lakers. The team has also been linked to Dean Wade and Jock Landale. Those would be respectable additions, but not exactly the kind of moves that would send the fanbase into celebration mode.
There’s also interest in Peyton Watson, though he is a restricted free agent, which gives the Denver Nuggets the chance to match any offer. It would reportedly take a deal in the $30 million-a-year range for Denver to hesitate on keeping him. Watson would fit well in Los Angeles, but that kind of price tag raises its own question.
Free agency begins on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, and the Lakers still have plenty to sort through.
Reaves has been retained, but there’s far less clarity around LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. This group could look very different by the time next season tips off.
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