The Lakers are heading into a very different kind of season, and the early outlook is not exactly glowing.
After a summer of major roster turnover, Los Angeles has shifted its focus toward Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, with the franchise moving on from the LeBron James era. James had already made it clear he would not be back, and ESPN reported that he told the Lakers the team could move forward without him. He later signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“LeBron James will return for an unprecedented 24th season in the NBA -- but it won't be with the Los Angeles Lakers. James has informed the Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday,” ESPN wrote.
That departure reshaped everything for the Lakers this offseason. What had looked like a familiar setup around James became a chance to rework the roster from the ground up. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin later reported James’ next move with Philadelphia.
“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday," ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote."James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania."
Los Angeles did bring in several new pieces, but not everyone is convinced the result will be a step forward. Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz projected that the Lakers could wind up with their worst regular season since JJ Redick took over as head coach.
“The Los Angeles Lakers will look remarkably different this season, which may or may not be a good thing. Kessler is a huge upgrade over Ayton to be sure, and players like Grimes, Thybulle and Mamukelashvili are strong two-way floor-spacers next to Luka Dončić.
The Lakers won't just miss James, however, but Smart as well. LA had a net rating of minus-6.1 in the 2,252 possessions where James and Smart were both off the floor last season.
Expect the Lakers to flirt with 50 wins but ultimately finish in the high-40s, still punching their ticket to the West playoffs,” Swartz wrote.
That would leave Los Angeles short of 50 wins for the first time under Redick, which would stand out even after all the offseason changes. The front office has clearly made an effort to reshape the roster, but the real question is whether those moves are enough to push the team into true championship territory.
For now, the Lakers enter the season with a lot to prove and no shortage of pressure. Without James for the first time in nearly a decade, the margin for error suddenly looks a lot smaller.
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Jeanie Buss Just Got A Public Message Lakers Fans Cant Ignore
The Lakers ownership picture got even more interesting this week when Jeanie Busss siblings, Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss, issued a joint statement backing a sale of the familys remaining stake in the franchise. Their message was carefully framed around unity and the long view, with the siblings saying they respect incoming owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and are thinking about what serves the team and its community best.
What makes the situation more delicate is that Jeanie Buss has not been on the same page with that push, setting up a family and business standoff around one of the most iconic brands in sports. Her side has pointed to a prior court order and her role as co-trustee in arguing she has approval rights in the process, so even as the public messaging sounds orderly, the path forward still carries a layer of tension that Lakers fans will be watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Rival Trade Target Could Solve A Costly Wing Problem
The Lakers have already shown they are willing to be creative if it helps patch a roster flaw, sending out a sign-and-trade offer for Jonathan Kuminga that would involve Jarred Vanderbilt and draft capital. It is another reminder that Los Angeles is still searching for ways to balance the roster after identifying wing depth as a problem, and the front office has not been shy about exploring avenues that could give the group more size, energy and versatility on the perimeter.
One name that has surfaced in that conversation is Derrick Jones Jr., a familiar type of target for a team looking to add a defensive presence on the wing without changing its overall identity. Any such move would require more than just interest, though, because the Lakers are already above the roster limit and would have to create room before bringing in anyone else. For now, the idea is less about a completed move than it is about how aggressive Los Angeles is willing to be in fixing an issue that has lingered around the edges of the roster. [Read more 🡒]