After inking superstar point guard Luka Doncic to a huge contract extension earlier this month, the Los Angeles Lakers are officially thinking about life after LeBron James, and the next step is figuring out who will be part of that future core.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Lakers hope that the additions they made can help the trio of James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves make a deep playoff run. This upcoming season is pivotal for several Lakers not named LeBron, as they could be playing for an extension in LA or potentially elsewhere in the Association.
As things currently stand, the Lakers are scheduled to have five unrestricted free agents and three players with player options next summer. The player option guys are DeAndre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Reaves.
Reaves is the likeliest candidate to get something done before next year. Meanwhile, when it comes to the free agents, veteran forward Rui Hachimua is the perfect candidate to get a huge payday either in LA or with another team.
Rui Hachimura Has a Big Opportunity Ahead of Him in 2025-26
The 28-year-old Hachimura is surprisingly entering his third full season with the Lakers, fourth overall in L.A., after the team acquired him in a trade from the Washington Wizards during the 2022-23 season.
Hachimura only played in 59 games last season due to multiple injuries. Despite those ailments, the veteran forward still averaged 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in 31.7 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-8 wing also shot 50.9 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from beyond the arc on 4.2 attempts per game. Then in the postseason, Hachimura took his game to another level. He scored 14.8 points per game on 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 48.4 percent from deep (6.2 attempts per game).
If you remember that first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Hachimura turned in two excellent performances in Games 4 and 5, where he scored 23 points in each contest. He was locked in from deep, knocking down at least 5 3’s in both games.
If the Lakers can get Hachimura to start this upcoming season, that will only help open up LA’s offense more. When you guys like Doncic and LeBron, who command attention wherever they are on the floor, the supporting guys like Reaves, Hachimura, and now Ayton should be able to eat.
That said, LA fans will need to see continued improvement from Hachimura on the defensive end, which was an issue early last season. With Dorian Finney-Smith in Houston, it will be a lot of stress on whichever forward and centers are on the floor to anchor the defense.
The Lakers cannot and won’t expect James to bring it on defense, which leaves someone or a host of guys to step up. As a former first-round pick, this is Hachimura’s time to show that he can be part of the Doncic era, or telegraph to another team that he’s worth a sizable multi-year deal.