Aug 2, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka attends a press conference for guard Luka Doncic (77) announcing the signing of a 3-year, $165 million contract extension at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Lakers Among 10 Teams Predicted to Have 'Significant Cap Space' in 2026

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be among the teams with the highest amount of cap space during the 2026 offseason, according to an NBA insider.

The Lakers have been consistently positioning themselves to have a good chunk of cap space in the coming seasons in case a star becomes available via trade or the open market.

Teams in the NBA over the past couple of seasons have lacked meaningful cap flexibility to get deals done, leaving many free agents forced to take player exceptions.

More news: Former NBA Lottery Pick Takes Massive Shot at Lakers' LeBron James

According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, there will be more teams with cap space, and the Lakers will be among those teams with some financial flexibility.

"Due to the salary cap increasing 10% this year and 7% in 2026-27 and a projected lower number of veteran extensions this year (43% of the players eligible to sign extensions reside on teams with room), cap space is, once again, a resource teams will have available," Marks wrote in a story for ESPN.

"Starting next offseason, ESPN is projecting at least 10 teams -- Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland, Utah and Washington -- to have significant cap space."

More news: Lakers Insider Provides Update on LeBron James' Immediate Future With LA

The Lakers will have several players hit free agency next season, with essentially the entire roster left up in the air.

Guard Austin Reaves is all but certain to reject his player option for the upcoming season and will demand a massive contract either with the Lakers or from another team.

LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season, and given the reports coming out of his camp, he is likely to move on, clearing the Lakers of his massive salary worth more than $50 million.

Other players like Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart should become free agents as well, leaving the president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, with several key decisions that need to be made.

The big-name free agent for the upcoming offseason is Kevin Durant, who has not signed an extension with the Houston Rockets yet.

Stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Stephen Curry are all free agents in 2027, meaning the Lakers could preserve cap space and wait until the following offseason to make their splash.