The Lakers didn’t just reshuffle the deck this offseason - they built the whole hand around Luka Doncic.
That became possible when LeBron James told Lakers management earlier in the offseason that he would not be returning, and when a wave of expiring contracts came off the books. For the first time, Los Angeles had the flexibility to shape the roster around Doncic, and the front office leaned hard into what already looked like its most promising partnership.
The fit of Doncic, James, and Austin Reaves sounded strong on paper, but the on-court version never really clicked. The one combination that did work was Doncic with Reaves, and that chemistry became the foundation for everything the Lakers did this summer.
Now the roster points to one very clear result: the Lakers should have one of the NBA’s most dangerous offenses next season.
That starts with Doncic, who is the kind of offensive engine that can drag a team toward the top of the league all by himself. His scoring, his passing, and the sheer attention he draws give the Lakers a creator who changes every possession.
Reaves, meanwhile, is coming off the best offensive season of his career and now has both a new contract and a defined role. The expectation is simple - he should be ready for a major year.
Los Angeles also attacked its biggest weakness by trading for Walker Kessler. Center was a problem, and Kessler brings exactly what the Lakers needed: rebounding and rim protection.
His season was shortened by injury, but he has mostly been durable and still has plenty of room to grow. Put him next to Doncic, and the fit makes a lot of sense.
The scoring depth got a boost too. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton give the Lakers more punch off the bench, while Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, and rookie Cameron Carr reshape the wing group with size, athleticism, and defense. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney were added to finish out the frontcourt depth.
The defense could still be a question, but the offensive talent is hard to miss. This group has creators and shooters everywhere, and that kind of firepower is going to be a problem for teams in the West. Doncic and Reaves are the headliners, and if they deliver, the Lakers will have a real chance to stay with plenty of opponents out West.
In Other News...
Lakers Quietly Found A Needed Future Boost During Their Reset
With LeBron James choosing Philadelphia after briefly weighing retirement, the Lakers have had to keep recalibrating their present and their future at the same time. One of the quieter moves in that process came when they sent center Deandre Ayton to the Wizards and brought back guard Jaden Hardy along with two future second-round picks, a deal that fit the teams shifting roster picture without demanding much public attention.
Hardy gives Los Angeles another young guard to evaluate, while the extra draft capital matters for a team trying to stay competitive now and still keep some flexibility for later. In a season defined by turnover, those kinds of moves can end up mattering as much as the louder ones, especially for a front office trying to balance immediate needs with what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Fans May View Walker Kessler Very Differently After This Center Market Twist
Walker Kesslers new deal gives the Lakers a useful way to frame one of their biggest recent bets at center. The sign-and-trade cost two first-round picks and landed them a 25-year-old big on a four-year, $140 million contract, but the appeal has always been tied to what he can do on defense. Rim protection and rebounding are the selling points, and in a market where capable centers can command eye-catching money, that kind of fit matters.
Jalen Durens contract talks have only sharpened that argument. He reportedly opened with a five-year, $287 million max ask before lowering his price to around $40 million annually, with Detroit hoping to pay less than that. Against that backdrop, Los Angeles can at least point to the center market and say the Kessler investment may not look as steep as it once did, especially if his defensive impact becomes what the Lakers envisioned. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Just Sent Another Training Camp Message Ahead Of Media Day
With training camp set to open Sept. 28 and the preseason less than a week later on Oct. 5, the Lakers are already making small roster moves that hint at how they want the next few weeks to unfold. Los Angeles signed guards Meechie Johnson and Chase Ross to Exhibit 10 contracts while waiving forward Anton Watson, a familiar sort of shuffle for this stage of the calendar as teams sort out camp bodies and set up their developmental pipeline.
Watson is expected to end up with the Coachella Valley Lakers, giving the organization another young player in position to stay in the system if he performs well enough. The Lakers will get five preseason games to sort through the details, with matchups against the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets offering an early look at how the roster pieces fit before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]