Los Angeles

Lakers

James, who turns 42 in December, is an unrestricted free agent. And for the first time in his NBA career, he is not viewed as the priority signing going into free agency. The Lakers have prioritized building around Luka Dončić, including a desire to re-sign free-agent guard Austin Reaves. Given what Reaves’ price tag is expected to be, LeBron may have to take a significant pay cut to return to the Lakers. Agent Rich Paul said during a media appearance on Friday that “10-12 teams” have reached out to him regarding James, so he’ll have options in free agency. While James can still be a highly effective option for fantasy managers, his age has lowered the ceiling for 2026-27.

The Lakers have long viewed re-signing Reaves as a priority this offseason, and the expectation was that the cost of doing business would be high. According to The Athletic, the Nets are willing to offer the shooting guard the highest deal they can, which comes to about $178.5 million over four years. Unlike other teams, the Lakers can offer Reaves a fifth year, but the question is how much they’re willing to pay. And with other questions lingering, such as LeBron James’ future and how they’ll fill out the rest of the roster around Luka Dončić, the Lakers could find themselves in a challenging spot regarding Reaves’ deal. As for the Nets, adding Reaves would give them an undisputed building block on the perimeter. And with none of the guards selected in the first round of last summer’s draft (Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré and Ben Saraf) truly standing out, this is an area of need for the rebuilding franchise.

Reaves found his rhythm again on Monday after an unspectacular Game 3. He shot efficiently both inside and outside the arc and repeatedly made his way to the free-throw line before finishing with a team-high in points. The fifth-year guard did struggle with turnovers against a tough Thunder defense. Still, his scoring and facilitating across his 43 minutes were important for the Lakers. Reaves missed a lot of time with injuries throughout the regular season, which hurt his fantasy value. When healthy, he was as productive as last season. He’ll likely be one of the better guards in fantasy leagues next season if injuries aren’t as big an issue.

Hachimura came alive in the third quarter following a four-point first half. He produced in the midrange and from beyond the arc before repeating the process in the fourth quarter. Hachimura made some big shots to keep the Lakers’ hopes alive down the stretch. Yet, his season ends in a fourth straight victory. Hachimura’s role fluctuated throughout the season, leading to one of his least productive seasons in several years. His fantasy value this season came from efficient scoring, which he didn’t do enough of to really be a difference maker in leagues.

James’ final game of the season was a solid one when simply glancing at the counting stats. He was one of the Lakers’ three best scorers on the evening, and he led the team in rebounds along the way before finishing his 23rd season with a double-double. James missed the first chunk of the season due to injury but eventually returned to log 60 regular-season games. His numbers declined from the 2024-25 season, and the accomplished veteran also saw a drop in fantasy production. James enters the offseason as an NBA free agent. Where he ends up next season could determine his fantasy outlook.

After scoring 27 and 23 points in the first two games of the series, James was limited to 19 on 19 shots in Game 3. He’s managed to keep the turnovers in check, committing eight through three games, but the Lakers’ overall struggles in that category have been costly. Oklahoma City scored 30 points off 16 Lakers turnovers in Game 3, turning a competitive game into a second-half blowout. James and the Lakers will look to avoid a sweep when they host Game 4 on Monday.

Reaves got off to an excellent start regarding his playmaking, as he recorded eight first-half assists. Unfortunately for him and the Lakers, the well dried up in the second half. Oklahoma City ramped things up defensively, and the Lakers turned the ball over at a higher rate than they did in the first half. As for Reaves, he accounted for just five points and one assist after halftime. Simply put, that won’t get the job done, especially with Luka Dončić (hamstring) unavailable. The Lakers will need a win on Monday to avoid getting swept.

As has been the case for the Lakers throughout this series, Game 3 was a tale of two halves. Taking a lead into the intermission for the second consecutive game, the Lakers were outscored 74-49 in the second half. And after scoring 16 points in the first half, Hachimura was limited to five in the second half. With Luka Dončić (hamstring) not close to a return, the Lakers need more consistent production from Hachimura if they’re to extend the series. The Lakers will look to avoid getting swept with a Game 4 victory on Monday night.

Initially questionable, Vanderbilt is back after sitting out Thursday’s Game 2 defeat. He’ll provide added frontcourt depth off the bench but is unlikely to get the run needed to be an impact player for manager in playoff fantasy leagues.

Vanderbilt, who dislocated his right pinky finger during Game 1, did not play in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat. His absence factored into Adou Thiero playing six minutes off the bench, but that was not enough to affect the action on either end of the floor.