Every rumor mill hums at low volume in September, and the Lakers currently carry three separate blips on that board, from a European exit to a front-office hire. None of the three reports has crossed the line from reported to confirmed.
The Madrid Smoke
Hoops Rumors flagged Nick Smith Jr. as closing in on a deal with Real Madrid on September 12, a report carrying only a 42 confidence score and still marked open, not closed. The Lakers' own roster of nineteen, from Luka Dončić down to two-way names like Chris Mañon, does not change because of it. It sits as a loose thread on the board, worth a glance if it firms up and easy to set aside if it does not.
An Unconfirmed Hire
A September 10 report described Miami's Eric Amsler joining the Lakers as an assistant general manager, filed at a 38 confidence score and, like the Madrid item, still logged as open. Elsewhere the move already gets discussed as settled front-office business, part of a busier offseason at the top of the organization. But the report carrying the actual number has not been upgraded to confirmed, and until it is, the hire is a name to track rather than one to bank on.
Why Sexton Stayed
A September 5 report tied to Collin Sexton says the chance at 'an opportunity to win' is what kept him in Los Angeles, filed at a 33 confidence score and, like the other two, still open. Sexton enters his eighth season off a year that saw him play 68 games, average 15.4 points and 3.3 assists, and shoot 40.1 percent from three, numbers that back up why the front office would want him back regardless of how the report scores. The payroll around him, $201.3 million and already above the $200.4 million luxury tax line, is the real reason none of these three whispers is likely to turn into a move soon.
Is Eric Amsler officially the Lakers' assistant GM?
The report naming him is dated September 10 with a 38 confidence score and is still marked open, not confirmed.
Is Collin Sexton under contract for 2026-27?
Yes, Sexton is on the Lakers' roster entering his eighth season, coming off 68 games and 15.4 points a night last season.
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