NBA free agency officially starts on Saturday, July 6, but teams, agents, and players can start negotiating contracts and agreeing to deals — which Woj, Shams, and Windhorst will break — at 6 pm ET on Friday, June 30. As the Los Angeles Lakers enter what could be their “Last Dance” with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, this period is crucial. So, with that in mind, let’s make some last-minute Lakers free agency predictions as to who is in, and who will be out, starting with key free agent Austin Reaves.

Who’s in for Lakers' free agency?

The Lakers currently have four guaranteed contracts on the books for the 2023-24 NBA season: LeBron James ($47.6 million), Anthony Davis ($40.6 million), Jarred Vanderbilt ($4.6 million), and Max Christie ($1.7 million).

That’s a scary spot to be in for fans, but it also gives general manager Rob Pelinka some excellent flexibility to make some serious moves to improve the team. Here are the Lakers' free agency predictions as to what those moves will look like.

Austin Reaves

The most important Lakers free agency target isn’t someone from another team. It’s restricted free agent Austin Reaves.

Reaves became a crucial NBA player this season, averaging 13.0 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 39.8% from 3-point range in the regular season. In the playoffs, he made himself even more money, bumping those averages up to 16.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 44.3%.

Reaves is a player who fits perfectly with LeBron and AD, so the team must (and will) do whatever it takes to keep him.

Fred VanVleet

The Lakers have enough flexibility to make a bit of a splash in NBA free agency if they can convince a top player to take the mid-level exception. For a veteran guard like Fred VanVleet, this would mean a one-year, $12.4 million deal.

VanVleet has spent his entire career up in the Great White North of Toronto, so maybe his opting out of his contract was to get a little fun in the sun next season and chase another ring to go with the one he won on the Raptors in 2019.

A solid, skilled, professional PG like VanVleet would be the perfect addition for the Lakers and something they haven’t had in a while.

Rui Hachimura

Similarly — but not quite as crucially — the Lakers also need to re-sign their other restricted free agent, Rui Hachimura. He was also good during the regular season after coming over from the Washington Wizards in a trade.

And in the playoffs, Hachimura upped his game as well, averaging 12.2 points, 3.6 boards, and shooting 48.7% from deep. Most importantly, he was a versatile defender who took lots of pressure off of James and Davis.

He will be easier to keep (financially) than Reaves, and the Lakers will do just that.

Lonnie Walker IV

The lower priority re-signing is Lonnie Walker IV, but since the Lakers can, they will, and probably should.

Walker averaged 11.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 36.5% from deep. He offers solid scoring punch off the bench, and with the right deal, could be a valuable rotation player or even a trade asset at the deadline.

Who’s on their way out of LA?

While the last-minute Lakers free agency prediction here is that the franchise will bring some key players back and sign a new player like Fred VanVleet, they will also let some people go. Here is who leaves LA in the next few weeks.

D’Angelo Russell

D’Angelo Russell played up to his potential in 2022-23 for the Lakers, but the team will soon have better options. Getting a player like VanVleet will give the team a better defensive and creative PG, and rookie first-round pick Jordan Hood-Schifino can pick up the scoring slack that the team will lose.

Russell is what he is at this point in his career, and that’s not a championship-winning player. He did his part in LA, but Lakers' free agency is a lot about upgrading from players like Russell. Plus, some tanking team that needs to hit the payroll floor will probably throw some money at this player in NBA free agency.

Dennis Schroder

This will be the hardest player to lose, and the Lakers were expected to try and re-sign Schroder as a rotational guard. However, with Hood-Schifino and this Lakers free agency prediction that VanVleet is coming, there will now be a glut at guard.

Unfortunately for Schroder, he is the odd man out. If he loves LA and wants to stay on a team0freidnly deal with no real playing-time promises, that would be great for the team. He is a solid player, though, and will likely seek greener pastures with the way the Lakers’ guard spots are shaking out.