Los Angeles Lakers 2026-27 Payroll Reaches $200.8 Million Driven by Luka Doncic
The Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2026-27 NBA season with an active roster payroll of $200,897,322 across 18 players under contract and three two-way deals. That total places the franchise $35,936,322 above the $164,961,000 salary cap, while sitting $8,117,678 below the first apron threshold of $209,015,000 and $20,788,678 below the second apron limit of $221,686,000.
Top Salaries and Roster Structure for the 2026-27 Season
Luka Doncic leads the team’s financial commitments with a salary of $49,488,300 for the 2026-27 campaign. Austin Reaves follows as the second-highest earner at $41,240,250, while center Walker Kessler accounts for $30,108,821 in payroll. The roster’s remaining guaranteed and non-guaranteed contracts feature Quentin Grimes at $13,953,489, Sandro Mamukelashvili at $13,000,000, and Jarred Vanderbilt at $12,428,571.
Additional player salaries include Collin Sexton at $9,366,000, Jaden Hardy and Jake LaRavia at $6,000,000 each, and Dalton Knecht at $4,201,080. Kevon Looney earns $3,876,529, Cameron Carr is signed for $3,315,360, Matisse Thybulle makes $3,286,399, Ziaire Williams accounts for $2,845,883, Bronny James draws $2,296,271, and Adou Thiero rounds out the standard deals at $2,150,917. Arthur Kaluma, Chris Manon, and AK Okereke occupy the team’s three two-way slots, while Meechie Johnson, Jr. and Chase Ross hold $0 figures on the active ledger.
Lakers Manage Future Roster Flexibility Through Player Options
The Lakers’ roster flexibility heading into future seasons involves multiple operational mechanisms. Two players carry non-guaranteed deals for the 2026-27 season, while two hold player options for the conclusion of the campaign.
Doncic’s current agreement includes a player option for $57,406,428 in the 2028-29 season ahead of unrestricted free agency. Reaves holds a player option for $49,552,470 in 2029-30, and Kessler features a player option worth $34,625,144 for the same year. The team’s five highest-paid players are locked into commitments that extend directly into the following season.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Lakers Salary Cap
What is the difference between a player option and a team option on the Lakers roster?
A player option is a clause that allows the athlete to choose whether to play out the final year of their contract or decline it to become an unrestricted free agent. A team option gives the franchise the right to extend a player’s contract for an additional season under pre-agreed financial terms.
How does the second apron impact the Los Angeles Lakers?
The second apron sits at $221,686,000 for the 2026-27 season.
Which Lakers players are heading toward unrestricted free agency?
Four players on the active roster are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2026-27 season, meaning they can sign with any NBA franchise without restriction.
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