Predicting Which Lakers Will Pick Up 2024-25 Options

The Lakers roster may look a little different next season.

Nobody on the Lakers is thinking about the offseason right now as they are in the thick of their playoff series with the Denver Nuggets but there are always moves to be made. Los Angeles hopes for a long playoff run, even if that may be a pipedream at this point.

But the Lakers do have a few key players that could be heading to free agency this summer, including LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell. They both have options in their contracts that they can either pick up or decline. 

Others include Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish. The Lakers roster may look a little different come next season but it also depends on who the head coach is. While Darvin Ham is likely to return, a new coach may see things differently in terms of player production. 

Assuming Ham does return, here are predictions on what each player will do this summer:

LeBron James ($51,415,938): Decline

James will decline his option, making him a free agent. However, this doesn't mean he will leave the Lakers. There have been reports about James wanting to stay with Los Angeles past this year but on a new deal. 

He wants to get a larger contract for his final few seasons and the Lakers will rightfully oblige. James is the heart of this team and should be back next year. 

D’Angelo Russell ($18,692,307): Decline

Russell will likely decline his deal, especially after his strong season. However, there is no guarantee he will be back.

The Lakers likely aren't going to want to pay him a heavy contract and they may want to upgrade with a third-star player. But he has redeemed himself in the eyes of the organization and is at least a candidate to return, which wasn't the case just a few months ago.

Christian Wood ($3,036,040): Decline

Wood didn't have a very strong first season with the Lakers and may want to look elsewhere on the market. He is only scheduled to make $3 million so that isn't likely to keep him around. 

Look for Wood to head elsewhere this summer.

Jaxson Hayes ($2,463,946): Pick-Up

While Hayes may be able to get a little more money somewhere else, he seems to fit well with the Lakers. He could play one more year in Los Angeles, potentially elevating his position around the league even more.

The biggest issue for him is playing time but it was the same in New Orleans as well. I believe that Hayes ends up picking up the option and the Lakers keep a decent enough backup center.

Cam Reddish ($2,463,946): Pick-Up

Reddish has been up and down all year long but I think he stays. He has found a nice home with the Lakers and has bounced around the league for most of his career.

While it's not perfect, Reddish showed he could be a valuable member off the bench. He seemed to have good chemistry with Ham, something that could factor into everything when decisions are being made.

More Lakers: Lakers News: Nikola Jokic Puts Up Historic Stat Line Vs LA