Lakers decline $4 million third-year option of once promising 21-year-old guard

The Los Angeles Lakers won’t be bringing back Jalen Hood-Schifino beyond this season.

Lakers deny Jalen Hood-Schifino’s team option for the 2025-26 season

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday afternoon that the Lakers are declining Hood-Schifino’s $4 million team option for the 2025-26 NBA season.

Hood-Schifino was drafted No. 17 overall by the Lakers in 2023. The Indiana product won the NBA In-Season Tournament with Los Angeles last season and went on to finish the campaign averaging 1.6 points per game in 5.2 minutes per game across 21 appearances.

Hood-Schifino’s G League play & upside were not enough to persuade the Lakers to keep him

The 21-year-old was not able to carve out a fixed role in the Lakers’ rotation last season. However, he did show out in the G League for the South Bay Lakers, where he boasted 22 PPG, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per contest on an efficient 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 43.2 percent shooting from deep.

Hood-Schifino was regarded along with fellow young teammates Max Christie and rookie Dalton Knecht as three promising talents who could make a name for themselves on Los Angeles’ roster this season. However, Hood-Schifino has not seen court time thus far in 2024-25, but that could change as the year progresses. No matter, the sophomore guard will have the rest of the current campaign to make the most of the opportunities he receives as the Lakers are dead set on waging an NBA Finals run.