LeBron James’ exit has changed everything for the Lakers, and Luka Doncic sounds ready for the new setup.
James’ eight-year run in Los Angeles is over after he informed the team this week that he’ll sign elsewhere for the 2026-27 season. The Lakers answered with the kind of goodbye that fit the moment. Jeanie Buss thanked him in a statement, pointing especially to the 2020 bubble ring, and James followed with a heartfelt farewell on social media.
The departure also clears roughly $52 million in cap space and leaves Doncic as the clear face of the franchise. Los Angeles moved fast to reshape the roster around him, completing a sign-and-trade with the Jazz for Walker Kessler on a four-year deal before adding Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton in a span of about 35 minutes.
Kessler gives the Lakers the kind of rim protection and lob threat they’ve been chasing since they traded for Doncic in February 2025. Grimes and Mamukelashvili also help fill obvious needs, bringing wing defense and bench depth after those areas thinned out badly last season.
That leaves Doncic and Austin Reaves as the final holdovers from the Lakers’ recent Big Three, with Doncic now the unquestioned centerpiece at 27. ESPN reported that Doncic pushed the front office this offseason to land a top-tier starting center, which helps explain why Kessler became such a priority.
For now, Doncic’s reaction to the reset is positive. A source familiar with his thinking told ESPN he was "excited" about the new additions and "looking forward to getting to work with this group." The overall mood around the team is upbeat, and the front office appears to have kept its star satisfied even after losing James.
There’s still work to do. The Lakers have two open roster spots, Cameron Carr is the only backup center, and the bench remains very young. But the direction is clear now: this is Doncic’s team.
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The path to getting it done was not simple, though, and the timing mattered. Biberovic had to clear an opt-out deadline tied to his Fenerbahce contract, and the Mavericks also had to navigate the buyout process under NBA rules before the signing could become official. For Dallas, it is the kind of overseas holdover resolution that can quietly matter, especially when a player has been on the radar long enough to become part of the franchises future planning. [Read more 🡒]
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Lakers Are Chasing Luka's Old Mavs Formula For Better Or Worse
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But there is a reason this kind of copycat approach comes with caution attached. Dallas version of the formula did not end with a championship, and the Lakers still have to answer the same kind of roster questions that can make or break a contender, especially on the wing where a dependable perimeter defender remains a major need. For Los Angeles, the challenge is not just looking like the Mavericks did, but proving the blueprint can actually take a team all the way. [Read more 🡒]