LeBron James still isn't over the parade the Lakers never got him. Across town, Luka Doncic is already being held accountable for delivering the next one, while Walker Kessler's health and Matisse Thybulle's practice reps quietly decide how close this roster can get.
The Parade That Wasn't
Silver Screen and Roll's Jacob Rude reported that LeBron James said it still bothers him the Lakers never got a parade for the 2020 championship, the title he won without fans in the building. James left the Lakers for the 76ers this summer, and that unfinished business now sits with Luka Doncic, who arrived in the February 2025 trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas. Lakers Nation's Corey Hansford reported that general manager Rob Pelinka and Doncic are holding each other accountable this fall — the kind of language a franchise uses when it's handing the keys to someone new.
Guarding the Stars
Los Angeles Times reporter Broderick Turner wrote that Thybulle is learning from Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic in practice, and Lakers Nation's Matthew Valento reported Thybulle believes guarding both in camp reps will sharpen him. Thybulle was one of the names hoopsrumors grouped under two-way roster questions on October 3 without elaborating; this week's on-record practice reporting is the first specific detail attached to that storyline. That daily matchup is deliberate: with no regular-season games yet played, camp reps against the Lakers' two highest-paid scorers are the only form Thybulle's defense has taken so far this season.
The Insurance Policy
Silver Screen and Roll's Bryan Toporek wrote that Kessler is the kind of insurance this roster has lacked, and Lakers Nation's Matthew Valento reported Jake LaRavia crediting Kessler's presence with letting the Lakers' perimeter defenders play more aggressively. The case for both claims sits in last season's box score: in the five games he played before being shut down, Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 30.8 minutes. Health, not talent, is the variable the Lakers are managing as he takes the floor in tonight's preseason game at Sacramento. The stakes are immediate: after tonight's game, the Lakers play the Warriors the very next night, the first of two preseason tests in as many evenings.
Did LeBron James say he regrets leaving the Lakers?
No — Silver Screen and Roll reported James said it still bothers him that the Lakers never got a parade for the 2020 title, a separate issue from his decision to sign with the 76ers this summer.
How many games did Walker Kessler play for the Lakers last season?
Kessler played five games before being shut down last season, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 30.8 minutes per outing.
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