Lakers’ Rui Hachimura Not Expected To Sign Contract Extension Before 2025-26 Season

The Los Angeles Lakers are in no rush to sign Rui Hachimura to a contract extension ahead of the final season of his current deal.

Per Spotrac, the 27-year-old is slated to earn $18.25 million in the 2025-26 season. This is part of the three-year, $51 million contract he signed with the Lakers in July 2023.

“With the current intel I have, I do not expect Rui to be extended by the Lakers in the next six weeks,” Lakers insider Jovan Buha reported Thursday on his “Buha’s Block” podcast.

“It’s certainly possible that something happens, but I would say most of what’s been out there is them wanting to keep the books clean and wanting to see whether he starts or whether he’s their sixth man and how the pieces fit this year.”

Rui Hachimura Has Been Consistent With Lakers

Despite Buha’s report, Hachimura has been one of the most reliable role players for the Lakers. He averaged 13.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and a career-high 31.7 minutes in 59 games (57 starts) last season.

Head coach JJ Redick praised the former first-rounder for following directions last year.

“He’s responded to every challenge we’ve given him,” he said about Hachimura. “He’s been our most consistent player just in terms of what we’ve asked him to do and then going out and executing it. And he’s been a pleasure to coach.”

However, the Lakers are hesitant to offer Hachimura an extension right now because the 2025-26 season will be the final campaign of the current deals for LeBron James, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, and Jaxson Hayes.

Los Angeles Intends To Build Around Luka Doncic

Free agent center Deandre Ayton also agreed to a two-year, $16.6 million deal with the Lakers in July, and Luka Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension earlier this month.

Doncic’s deal includes with a player option in 2028 and keeps the five-time All-Star out of free agency next summer. He could opt out of his new deal then and sign a new contract for 35% of the salary cap, which projects to five years and $417 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

In doing so, Doncic would recoup all the money lost when he was traded by the Mavericks, with whom he had been eligible to sign a five-year, $315 million supermax extension this summer.

It should be noted that James and Damian Lillard are the only NBA players with a no-trade clause in their contracts. Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and Marcus Smart also have player options for the 2026-27 campaign.

Reaves May Decline Option, Seek $30 Million Per Year

The Lakers have been trying to keep their core roster intact, but Reaves is expected to decline his 2026-27 player option and seek a contract around $30 million per year from the Purple and Gold.

“There is zero chance he is picking up his $14.9 million player option, even if he plans to stay with the Lakers,” wrote NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin. “Reaves reportedly wants to be paid in the Tyler Herro range of $30 million a year (and Herro is a good comp in a lot of ways).”

If Reaves bypasses the extension and becomes a free agent, the Lakers and teams with cap space would be allowed to sign him next offseason to a contract worth up to 25% of the salary cap. His first-year starting salary in that contract would be $42.5 million.

Reaves finished the 2024-25 season averaging career highs in points (20.2), rebounds (4.5), and assists (5.8) in 73 games (all starts) with the Lakers. The fourth-year veteran also shot 46% from the field and 37.7% from deep.