Lakers Make Defensive-Minded Guard Chris Manon a Restricted Free Agent

The NBA offseason is well underway for the Los Angeles Lakers, with a lot of tough decisions needing to be made from players the team wants to add to the mix around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to the futures of players on the current roster.

On Sunday, one player got an answer regarding his immediate future with the Lakers.

Lakers Make Chris Manon a Restricted Free Agent With Qualifying Offer

According to Keith Smith of Spotrac, the Lakers have tendered a qualifying offer to defensive-minded guard Chris Manon, making him a restricted free agent this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers have tendered a two-way qualifying offer to Chris Manon, a league source told @spotrac.

Manon will now be a restricted free agent this summer.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 28, 2026

Manon didn’t see much time on the floor for the Lakers last season after signing a two-way contract with the team in July of 2025, as he played in only nine games, averaging just 5.1 minutes per contest when he got the nod from head coach JJ Redick.

The Vanderbilt product spent most of his time with the South Bay Lakers, playing in 46 G League games. He averaged 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game, shooting 51.2 percent from the floor and 31.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The 24-year-old guard made a name for himself on the defensive end of the floor during his time in the G League last season. He made the G League’s All-Defense team while also finishing second in the voting for the G League Defensive Player of the Year, which ultimately went to Texas Legends center Jamarion Sharp.

As a restricted free agent, Manon can sign offer sheets with other teams, but the Lakers can match.

It’s uncertain if the Lakers view Manon as part of the long-term future in Los Angeles, but it’s possible they feel he has a lot of upside as a perimeter defender. He’ll likely play on the Lakers’ Summer League team, joining second-year forward Adou Thiero and rookie Cameron Carr.

AK Okereke and Peter Suder recently signed two-way deals with the Lakers, which is what Manon, Drew Timme and Christian Koloko (waived in November) played on last season. Other players who have recently signed Exhibit 10 deals with the Lakers include William Kyle III, Robert McCray V, Robbie Avila, Chase Ross and Jacari White.

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