Record0-02026-27
Last 10—
Net rating+1.52025-26 · ORtg 117.0 · DRtg 115.5
Pace99.2eFG% 57.3 · TS% 60.9
Injuries00 out · 0 questionable
Rumors2tagged in the last feeds
Podcast
All episodes · RSSLakers Tip-Off · every morning · Jordan Reyes & Marcus Hale
First episode with the preseason
Your team, every morning: last night, tonight, what changed. 8–12 minutes, and Lakers Final within half an hour of every buzzer. Subscribe to the feed and the first one arrives on its own.
The hosts
Jordan Reyes · host
Runs the show. Grew up on League Pass and box scores. Believes in the team until the numbers say otherwise, then argues with Marcus.
Marcus Hale · analyst
The numbers desk. Lineups, on/off, cap sheets. Dry, precise, allergic to hype. Keeps the receipts every Friday.
Salary cap · 2026-27
Full cap sheet$201.3M$36.4M over the $165.0M cap · 16 contracts
Dončić
Reaves
Kessler
Luka Dončić $49.8M · Austin Reaves $41.2M · Walker Kessler $30.2M · Quentin Grimes $14.0M
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What changed, every morning
Last night, tonight, injuries, rumors and the standings move — for the Lakers, before your coffee. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.
Video
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Lakers Enter 2026-27 With Luka Leading a Retooled Roster, Opener Set for Oct. 21
newsroom · 2 h agoThe Lakers are 0-0 as camp opens for 2026-27, coming off a 53-29 season. The roster is built around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves after an offseason that saw LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes all leave. The preseason starts Oct. 5 at Sacramento, with the regular-season opener set for Oct. 21 at home against Golden State on ESPN.
The Roster Takes Shape
Los Angeles enters the 2026-27 season at 0-0, with training camp building around Luka Dončić at forward-guard, listed at 27 with eight years of experience. Austin Reaves, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes and Jake LaRavia return in the backcourt and wing rotation. Walker Kessler joins at center at age 25, and Kevon Looney adds size at 30 with 11 years in the league. The frontcourt also includes Jarred Vanderbilt, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Matisse Thybulle. Young pieces Bronny James, Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht and Ziaire Williams round out the group, along with newcomers AK Okereke, Arthur Kaluma, Cameron Carr and Chris Mañon. The roster lost LeBron James, who signed with the 76ers, along with Marcus Smart (Rockets), Rui Hachimura (Clippers), Deandre Ayton (Wizards), Luke Kennard (Suns) and Jaxson Hayes (Jazz).
What Last Season's Numbers Say
The Lakers open the year off a 53-29 mark from 2025-26, with a 117.0 offensive rating and a 115.5 defensive rating for a net rating of 1.5. Pace sat at 99.2 possessions, with an effective field-goal percentage of 57.3 and a true shooting mark of 60.9, and the team averaged 116.3 points per game. Dončić led the way across 64 games at 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists, shooting 36.6 percent from three. Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists across 51 games. Grimes played 75 games and scored 13.4 points a night, and LaRavia appeared in all 82 games, averaging 8.2 points and 4.0 rebounds. Sexton put up 15.4 points over 68 games.
Injury Report: Clean Entering Camp
No player on the roster carries an injury designation as camp opens; the injury list is empty. That gives Los Angeles a full roster to work through the preseason schedule. Walker Kessler is a name to watch early: in 5 games last season he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and shot 75.0 percent from three, a small sample worth tracking as he gets more run in camp. Sandro Mamukelashvili, who played all 80 games last season at 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds, and Jarred Vanderbilt, who appeared in 65, are also both healthy entering the fall. With no one banged up, the early storylines are about fit, not health.
Preseason Slate and the Oct. 21 Opener
The preseason schedule opens on the road with games at Sacramento on Oct. 5 and at Golden State on Oct. 6, then a home game against the Kings on Oct. 8. The slate continues with the Warriors visiting on Oct. 13 and the Nuggets on Oct. 16. The regular season begins Oct. 21 at home against Golden State, airing on ESPN. Los Angeles plays 80 regular-season games this year, with 40 of those games on national television. That is the backdrop for a roster that finished 53-29 a season ago and now breaks camp with Dončić as the headline name after an offseason that saw six players depart.
Rumors and Front Office Notes
Two items circulated on Sept. 5. One report framed the “opportunity to win” as what attracted Collin Sexton to the Lakers, tying his move to the roster's current window. Separately, ownership notes touched on the Buss family, Iger and Walter, without further detail beyond what has been reported. Both items are attributed reports, not confirmed organizational moves. As camp opens, they sit alongside the roster and the schedule as the storylines fans are tracking heading into the preseason slate that starts Oct. 5 at Sacramento.
Questions fans ask
What is the Lakers' record heading into the 2026-27 season?
The Lakers are 0-0. The season has not started; the opener is set for Oct. 21 against Golden State.
Who is on the Lakers roster after LeBron James left?
Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, Jarred Vanderbilt, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and Ziaire Williams are among those on the roster this season.
Where did LeBron James and the other departed players go?
LeBron James signed with the 76ers, Marcus Smart went to the Rockets, Rui Hachimura to the Clippers, Deandre Ayton to the Wizards, Luke Kennard to the Suns, and Jaxson Hayes to the Jazz.
When do the Lakers play their first preseason game?
The preseason opens Oct. 5 on the road at Sacramento, followed by a game at Golden State on Oct. 6.
How many national TV games do the Lakers have this season?
The Lakers have 40 national television games out of 80 regular-season games.
What is on the Lakers' injury report right now?
Nothing. The injury list is empty as camp opens.
What changed
Last 36 hoursRUM
‘Opportunity To Win’ Attracted Collin Sexton To Lakers · 6 h ago
RUM
Lakers Ownership Notes: Buss Family, Iger, Walter · 6 h ago
Injury tracker
updated —| Player | Status | Injury | Est. return |
|---|---|---|---|
| No one on the report. | |||
Rotation tracker · player stock
expectedExpected rotation · minutes from 2025-26
Order = last season's minutes for the players on this roster; the real rotation replaces it after the first regular-season game.
Schedule
Full 2026-27 schedule · 85 games10:00 PM ET
LAL
SAC
Mon, Oct 5
10:00 PM ET
LAL
GSW
Tue, Oct 6
10:30 PM ET
SAC
LAL
Thu, Oct 8
10:00 PM ET
GSW
LAL
Tue, Oct 13
10:30 PM ET
DEN
LAL
Fri, Oct 16
10:00 PM ETESPN
GSW
LAL
Wed, Oct 21 · ESPN
Head-to-head
Lakers vs every teamRoster
19 players| # | Player | Pos | Ht | Age | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adou Thiero | G | 6-7 | 22 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 |
| 2 | Jarred Vanderbilt | F | 6-8 | 27 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 1.3 |
| 4 | Dalton Knecht | F | 6-6 | 25 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 |
| 4 | Matisse Thybulle | G-F | 6-5 | 29 | 5.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 |
| 5 | Quentin Grimes | G | 6-5 | 26 | 13.4 | 3.6 | 3.3 |
| 7 | Jaden Hardy | G | 6-3 | 24 | 9.2 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| 9 | Bronny James | G | 6-2 | 21 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 |
| 10 | Collin Sexton | G | 6-3 | 27 | 15.4 | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| 11 | Ziaire Williams | F | 6-9 | 24 | 10.2 | 2.4 | 1.1 |
| 12 | Jake LaRavia | F | 6-7 | 24 | 8.2 | 4.0 | 1.8 |
| 14 | Walker Kessler | C | 7-2 | 25 | 14.4 | 10.8 | 3.0 |
| 15 | Austin Reaves | G | 6-5 | 28 | 23.3 | 4.7 | 5.5 |
| 30 | Chris Mañon | G | 6-4 | 24 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| 31 | AK Okereke | F | 6-7 | 23 | — | — | — |
| 43 | Cameron Carr | G | 6-5 | 21 | — | — | — |
| 54 | Sandro Mamukelashvili | F-C | 6-9 | 27 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 1.9 |
| 55 | Kevon Looney | F | 6-9 | 30 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 1.6 |
| 77 | Luka Dončić | F-G | 6-8 | 27 | 33.5 | 7.7 | 8.3 |
| Arthur Kaluma | F | 6-7 | 24 | — | — | — |
Per-game stats: 2025-26 (last season, until the new one tips off).
Trade radar
2 taggedhoopsrumors · 17 h ago
hoopsrumors · 18 h ago
Team stats 2025-26: 116.3 PPG · 41.0 RPG · 25.9 APG