Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell picked up his $18.7 million player option on Saturday. The 28-year-old had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023-24, finishing the campaign by averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while shooting a career-high 41.5% from behind the arc. Despite Russell's decade of service in the National Basketball Association, he's showing no signs of slowing down. He also played in 76 games last season, his most since 2018-19, so his fantasy worth may continue to climb if he continues to stay healthy moving ahead.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, forward LeBron James declined his $51.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, while the multi-time All-Star is heading toward unrestricted free agency, he's expected to re-sign with the Lakers on a new deal. Despite his age, James is still one of the most potent players in the National Basketball Association, recently finishing the 2023-24 campaign by averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. He battled nagging injuries all last season and was limited to 71 games. Still, fantasy managers should expect at least one more year of production from James in 2024-25, although he could have at least a few more solid seasons left in the tank.

According to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, his client won't suit up for the Suns this season on a minimum contract. Speculation began to swirl about the possibility of James playing in Phoenix after his son, Bronny James, worked out for the club. However, it appears even if the Suns select the 19-year-old in the 2024 NBA Draft, it won't be enough to coax his father into joining Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Without question, the multi-time All-Star is nearing the end of his career. Yet, despite injuries, he's still productive, finishing the 2023-24 campaign by averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals while shooting a career-high 41.0% from deep. At any rate, James still needs to decline his $51.4 million player option to enter unrestricted free agency, with his decision expected to come soon.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has reportedly not been involved in the team's search for a new head coach. It has been suggested that he has a major influence on the franchise's decisions. However, according to NBA insider Shams Charania, James is "staying clear" of the coaching search. The Lakers appeared to have found their man last week, but UConn's head coach, Dan Hurley, rejected the job. A recent report for Charania noted that the team is "zeroing" in on James' podcast partner and player-turned-analyst JJ Redick, while James Borrego, the current associate head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, also remains an option.

According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to seek a trade for forward Rui Hachimura. The 2019 No. 9 overall pick averaged a career-high 13.6 points in 2023-24. He also played 68 games, the most since entering the league. There will likely be a market for Hachimura, who has two years left on his contract. With that in mind, he could be even more productive with a new team if given routine minutes.