Latest:
oct 03 2026For the first time since 2018, the Lakers will start a season without LeBron James. The King chose Philadelphia this summer, and in Los Angeles nobody is searching for his successor because they already have him: Luka Dončić, the league's leading scorer and member of the NBA's All-NBA team. What has changed dramatically is everything surrounding the Slovenian star.
Where They Come From: 53 Wins and a Playoff Run Without Luka
The 2025-26 season was better than injuries would have allowed. The Lakers won 53 games, finished fourth in the West and claimed the Pacific Division. Dončić had a massive year: 33.5 points and 8.3 assists in 64 games, his second scoring title and fourth place in MVP voting. Austin Reaves took his biggest leap, reaching 23.3 points. Together they formed the league's highest-scoring duo, averaging 56.8 points per night, and with both on the court the team went 30-11.
Spring took a turn for the worse in April. Dončić tore his hamstring and Reaves suffered an oblique injury down the stretch, and neither played in the first round. With a 41-year-old LeBron leading the way, the Lakers eliminated Houston in six games. In the semifinals, with their stars back, the Thunder swept them.
The Offseason: A New Roster
The stat that best summarizes the Lakers' summer comes from NBA.com: only eight players return, and together they played 42% of last season's minutes—by far the lowest figure in the league. Of the twelve who surpassed 500 minutes, seven are gone.
First came securing Reaves. He signed a four-year, $185 million deal with a player option in the final year—the largest contract in history for a player not selected in the draft. Then came the biggest move: Walker Kessler, a 7'1" center and elite shot-blocker, on a four-year, $130 million deal via sign-and-trade with Utah. The Lakers paid two first-round picks and two pick swaps for him.
The rest of the market was filled with role pieces. Sandro Mamukelashvili signed a four-year, $52 million deal after his best season in Toronto, shooting 38.9% from three. Collin Sexton arrives on a two-year, $19 million contract after shooting 40.1% from beyond the arc. Rounding out the additions are Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Cameron Carr. Besides LeBron, the departures include Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Maxi Kleber.
The Rotation
Dončić and Reaves form the backbone of the perimeter game, and they've already proven they work without LeBron. According to NBA.com, in the 532 minutes they shared the court without him last season, the Lakers outscored opponents by 10.1 points per 100 possessions.
In the paint, Kessler is the big bet: rim protector, rebounder and finisher on Dončić's passes. Mamukelashvili gives JJ Redick a floor-spacing big, and Looney brings veteran savvy off the bench. On the perimeter, Sexton and Grimes provide scoring for the second unit while Thybulle brings defense.
The roster is considerably younger than last season's and is built to play faster and shoot more threes. Last season, the Lakers ranked 22nd in pace and 23rd in three-pointers made.
Also Read
- Collin Sexton Signs with the Lakers
- Mamukelashvili Signs Major Contract with Lakers
- Kevon Looney Bolsters Lakers' Paint
The Season's Big Questions
The first is chemistry. With eight new faces arriving from eight different teams, the start could be uneven. Dončić tried to get ahead of that work by taking his teammates to Slovenia this summer, according to The Athletic.
The second is health. Kessler missed nearly all of last season due to shoulder surgery, and Dončić's hamstring gave him problems twice in the last season. The Lakers have invested heavily in a center who has barely played in a year.
The third is perimeter defense. Without Smart, the team loses its perimeter pest, and Thybulle arrives on a one-year deal to fill that void.
And there's the conference. The West has the Spurs, the Thunder, a Timberwolves team bolstered with LaMelo Ball, Jokic in Denver and Houston, and the Lakers start a tier below the top two.
The Schedule: Key Dates
The season opens October 21 against Stephen Curry's Warriors. On November 27 they visit the Spurs in the final NBA Cup group stage game. The most anticipated date is December 25: LeBron returns to Los Angeles with the Sixers on Christmas Day. Then on January 26 comes the first matchup with the Thunder since the sweep, and on February 28 Dončić returns to Dallas.
Piratas' Prediction
With Dončić, the Lakers always have contender ceiling, and Reaves has proven he can be a legitimate number two. But the roster is new, depends heavily on Kessler staying healthy, and the West shows no mercy. Our prediction: between 47 and 51 wins, direct playoff berth between fourth and sixth seed, and a second-round series as a realistic goal. To go further, chemistry needs to arrive before January.
