The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly planning to be fiscally conservative over the next two seasons to make a big

Deandre Ayton has the ability to significantly fortify a Los Angeles Lakers team that was frightfully weak at the center position this past season after shipping out Anthony Davis to land Luka Doncic.

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN, LeBron James feels that the Los Angeles Lakers “are more in a futuristic mindset.” James, 40, wants to compete for a championship next season, but the Lakers haven’t made any title-making moves this offseason.

A sports media personality shockingly compared Deandre Ayton to a former Los Angeles Lakers champion and three NBA MVPs.

Free agency has mostly dried up, but there are still players worth an eyeball or two. De'Anthony Melton is a dynamic defender when healthy. Gary Payton II is an on-ball pest with championship experience. Amir Coffey isn't a lockdown defender, but he offers versatility and usually knows where to be.

The Los Angeles Lakers have now officially signed Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and rookie Adou Thiero to multi-year deals. With those contracts now in place, here is a look at the Lakers' payroll for the 2025-26 season.

The organization has been linked to former Golden State Warriors NBA champion forward and No. 1 overall pick, Andrew Wiggins. Unfortunately, though, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha’s latest report on Los Angeles’ chances of landing Wiggins via trade is gut-wrenching, to say the least.

The basketball gods might be shining on the Los Angeles Lakers again. Lakers exceptionalism is very much real.