Lakers Rumors: Jalen Hood-Schifino’s $4M Contract Option Declined for 2025-26 Season | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Jalen Hood-Schifino shall be hitting free company rather a lot sooner than the Los Angeles Lakers had deliberate.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday the Lakers declined their 2025-26 membership possibility value $4 million for the 2023 first-round choose. In consequence, he’ll develop into an unrestricted free agent subsequent summer time.

The transfer is an admission from Los Angeles it would not see a future with Hood-Schifino after choosing him with the seventeenth total choose. He was picked forward of Jaime Jaquez Jr., Brandin Podziemski and Cam Whitmore, all of whom had been constructive contributors to their groups as rookies.

Hood-Schifino, then again, logged 21 appearances for the Lakers and averaged 1.6 factors on 22.2 % taking pictures.

He spent a portion of the season with the South Bay Lakers within the NBA G League and put up 22 factors per contest in 15 video games.

Throughout coaching camp, ahead Rui Hachimura was enthusiastic in regards to the 21-year-old.

“Jalen has been nice,” he informed reporters. “I can see he is been placing loads of work in his physique. He obtained means stronger. I can see that he is simply, , extra assured… I feel he seems robust and wholesome; I prefer it.”

Hood-Schifino was unable to impress first-year head coach JJ Redick sufficient to earn an everyday function within the rotation, although. He has but to make his 2024-25 season debut and was assigned to South Bay on Sunday.

By having his possibility declined, the 6’5″ guard misses out on an excellent chunk of assured money, however coming into free company is useful from the standpoint that he wants a contemporary begin elsewhere. Hood-Schifino is not going to get the minutes he must develop within the NBA in Los Angeles.

His expiring wage may make him extra enticing for commerce suitors keen to take a flier on him as effectively.