Fresh Lakers Rumors on Rui Hachimura Trade and Futures of Jarred Vanderbilt, Deandre Ayton

The Los Angeles Lakers could move on from Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton in order to create enough financial flexibility to bring back Rui Hachimura in free agency, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

"That Hachimura remains unsigned caused several league sources to wonder whether the Lakers are planning some sort of trade or using the stretch provision on perhaps Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton to be able to offer Hachimura more," McMenamin reported Thursday.

While the Lakers can free up cap space via trade, they can also use the stretch provision to waive Vanderbilt or Ayton and have the guaranteed salary remaining on their contracts spread across multiple years in order to create more room to potentially bring back Hachimura.

Although Hachimura remains an unrestricted free agent, Los Angeles already has 13 roster spots occupied and can only pay a veterans minimum to anyone else (h/t McMenamin).

The 28-year-old should sign for a larger contract than the veterans minimum, as he was a key contributor for the Lakers last season.

Hachimura averaged 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game during his 2025-26 campaign, shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 44.3 percent from behind the arc.

He stepped up during Los Angeles' 2026 playoff run, recording 17.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game on 54.9/56.9/72.7 shooting splits across 10 postseason contests.

The Lakers have already been active this offseason, adding Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili.