The Los Angeles Lakers are declining the third-year rookie option on guard Jalen Hood-Schifino worth $4 million for next season, sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday.
Los Angeles Lakers declined the third-year rookie option of Jalen Hood-Schifino to create roster flexibility
According to Charania’s report, the move will make Hood-Schifino an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and creates roster flexibility for a Lakers team currently set to start the next offseason over the salary cap.
If Hood-Schifino is traded this season, the $4 million declined option is the max he could sign with as a free agent with the acquiring team. Los Angeles has $176 million in committed salary next season, $10 million below the projected tax threshold.
Hood-Schifino, 21, was selected 17th overall in the 2023 NBA draft after an exceptional freshman season at Indiana. He averaged 1.6 points and 0.6 rebounds in 21 games off the bench last season and has not played in 2024-25.
In the event Hood-Schifino is traded this season, the $4M declined option is the maximum he could sign with as a FA with the acquiring team.
The same goes with the Lakers.
Los Angeles has $176M in committed salary next season, $10M below the projected tax threshold and well… https://t.co/BAxxvo4h8R
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 31, 2024
The 6-foot-5 Hood-Schifino was limited to just 21 games in an injury-plagued rookie season. He first suffered a knee injury in the preseason.
The Pittsburgh native then sustained a major back injury, leading to a lumbar microdiscectomy in March.
As a result, the back injury caused him to miss most of the second half of last season. To make matters worse, recovery from that surgery kept him out of the Summer League.
Hood-Schifino had support from teammates
By the time Hood-Schifino was healthy for the preseason, he underperformed, averaging 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 19.8 minutes. In other words, a trade is possible for the second-year guard.
It’s unfortunate considering the support Hood-Schifino received from Lakers teammates when he was first drafted.
“I will give you one actually: Jalen played really well today,” Russell said of him last year. “Competitive. Made shots. Got after it.”
Austin Reaves praised Hood-Schifino for improving as a combo guard as well.
“Jalen looked really good today for his first day,” Reaves said. “So, super excited just to see what [he can] do.”
According to Basketball-Reference, of the 2023 NBA draft picks, only Jett Howard (taken 11th by Orlando) and Dariq Whitehead (taken 22nd by Brooklyn) have played fewer minutes than Hood-Schifino.
In Los Angeles’ 133-107 win over the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 29, 2023, he recorded a career-high 10 points on 3-of-4 (75%) shooting from the field, 1-of-2 (50%) from 3-point range, and 3-of-6 (50%) at the free throw line.
