Rebuilt Lakers Enter 2026-27 With On-Court and Ownership Uncertainty
The short version
- Lakers traded for and signed Walker Kessler (four years, $129.47 million) after LeBron James left in free agency
- Los Angeles went 53-29 last season and was swept 4-0 by Oklahoma City in the second round
- Mark Walter agreed to sell his majority stake for a record $12.5 billion; the deal is on hold as Jeanie Buss contests it in court
- JJ Redick has named Dončić, Reaves and Kessler as three of five starters; two wing spots are open
- Los Angeles must trim 16 guaranteed contracts to 15 by opening day
A roster overhauled around Luka Dončić and a record $12.5 billion sale stuck in court leave Los Angeles facing questions on both fronts.
An offseason few saw coming has left the Los Angeles Lakers with a remade roster and an ownership fight heading into the 2026-27 NBA season. The franchise followed a 53-29 campaign, good for fourth in the Western Conference, with a four-game second-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, then watched LeBron James walk in free agency.
President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, backed by major front-office investment from Mark Walter, rebuilt the team around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. The headline move brought center Walker Kessler over from the Utah Jazz in exchange for two first-round picks and two unprotected first-round pick swaps, followed immediately by a four-year, $129.47 million contract that made him the top center available this summer.
Cap room freed by James's exit went toward restocking the bench. Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams all arrived, while Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart departed. Rookie guard Cameron Carr joined through the draft.
How competitive the result can be in a Western Conference featuring the Thunder and San Antonio Spurs remains an open question. Offseason spending totaled nearly $480 million. Title odds sit at +4000 per BetMGM, with a projected record of 48-34 and an offseason grade of C in Yahoo Sports' assessment.
Coach JJ Redick, entering his third season after consecutive 50-win campaigns, told reporters Thursday he is settled on three starters: Dončić, Reaves and Kessler. Two wing spots remain undecided. Mamukelashvili, a 38.9% three-point shooter whose defense draws concerns, may log minutes at backup center depending on Kevon Looney's health. Ziaire Williams, on a one-year deal, has reportedly added muscle to a 185-pound frame, while Jake LaRavia saw his playing time fall to 14.3 minutes per game late last season but carries a year of chemistry with the stars. Thybulle rates as the group's strongest defender.
A lighter moment came when Redick quipped to reporters that the two open starting jobs will not go to two white players. A separate roster decision looms as well: 16 players hold guaranteed deals, one above the limit, and Pelinka said he is weighing all options, including a consolidation trade, though he plans to let camp run its course first.
Off the court, Walter agreed to sell his majority stake to Joshua Kushner and former Disney chief executive Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion, just 10 months after purchasing the team. The deal emerged amid a federal investigation into disclosures tied to Walter-controlled insurers and related investments. Most of the Buss family then voted to sell its remaining 17.8% stake to the same buyers.
That transaction is paused, however, because Lakers governor Jeanie Buss has challenged her siblings' plans in court. With no resolution in sight, the club begins the season carrying as much uncertainty in the boardroom as on the floor.
Fans tracking live basketball action can find the next scheduled game on the Global Sportscast guide: Western at Peebles High School, Friday, September 25 at 6:30 PM EDT.
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