Multiple Top Buyout Candidates Off Limits For Lakers Due to Salary Restrictions

If the Lakers want to dabble in the buyout market, some players could be off-limits.

Feb 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles against Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking like an NBA title contender since their acquisition of Luka Doncic prior to the trade deadline. He is a top-three player in the league and has made their team much better already.

Doncic played his second game as a Laker on Wednesday against the Jazz. He scored 16 points, grabbed four rebounds, and dished out four assists in the Lakers loss to Utah.

The loss underscores that the Lakers need more than just Doncic and LeBron James in order to be an NBA title contender. They need more help.

Read more: Impact of Rescinded Mark Williams Trade on Lakers Season

Los Angeles could be looking at getting some players from the buyout market. There will be some players who will be out of reach because of some salary situations, though.

Because the Lakers are in the first apron, any player they sign would need to be below the mid-level exception of $12.8 million. That means that a lot of top players won't be an option for them.

Potential buyout candidates with salaries above the $12.8 million mid-level:

Malcolm Brogdon
Bruce Brown
Ben Simmons
Bojan Bogdanovic

The Celtics, Nuggets, Lakers, Bucks, Wolves, Knicks, and Suns wouldn't be able to sign these players since they're above the first apron.

— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) February 6, 2025

Ben Simmons has already signed with the Clippers, so he's not an option anyway. But a player like Brown would be perfect with the Lakers sine their center situation is so bad.

The Lakers need players who can play in the frontcourt. Brown has shown the ability to play small-ball center if needed.

Brown won't be an option for Los Angeles. It's unclear if the rest of these players will eventually get bought out anyway, but the Lakers will have to look elsewhere for help.

More Lakers: Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Seems to Diss Luka Doncic After Lakers Debut

The Lakers might not get the help in the buyout market that they were hoping to get once the Mark Williams trade fell through. They desperately need some rim protection.

Los Angeles is one of the many teams that will be exploring some cheaper options in the buyout market to improve along the fringes of the roster.

The Lakers will still go as far as Doncic and James are able to take them. They are the engines that will drive this team to either success or coming up just short this season.

More Los Angeles Lakers:

Luka Doncic’s Lakers Debut Drew Massive Viewership Numbers

Luka Doncic Reveals LeBron James Gave Him Special Introduction Choice for Lakers Debut

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.