EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe LeBron James era came to a close in Los Angeles, and the franchise was sold for the second time in 10 months. How's that for an offseason, Lakers fans?Beyond the major headlines, the Lakers overhauled their roster this summer, bringing in C Walker Kessler, F Sandro Mamukelashvili, G Quentin Grimes, G Collin Sexton, F Kevon Looney, F Matisse Thybulle and G Cameron Carr to pair with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.Will the new-look roster be exactly what Doncic needs to lead the Lakers back to the Finals for the first time since the 2020 bubble championship? Or will the turnover be too much to overcome in a loaded Western Conference?ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for all 30 teams.Quick links:Roster | Depth chart | TransactionsMore Lakers coverage | More NBAOffseason at a glanceKey additions: C Walker Kessler, F Sandro Mamukelashvili, G Quentin Grimes, G Collin Sexton, F Kevon Looney, F Matisse Thybulle, G Cameron CarrKey retentions: G Austin ReavesKey subtractions: F LeBron James, C Deandre Ayton, G Marcus Smart, F Rui Hachimura, G Luke Kennard, C Jaxson HayesJames informed the Lakers he would not be returning for next season on June 30. Two days later, the team transformed the roster, with Doncic squarely as the focal point.The biggest addition -- literally and figuratively -- is 7-foot-2 center Kessler, acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz. L.A. sent two unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, not to mention a four-year, $130 million contract, to acquire him.Mamukelashvili, Grimes, Sexton, Looney and Thybulle also signed with the Lakers, and free agent Ziaire Williams and first-round pick Carr bolster the team's young prospect pool of Adou Thiero, Bronny James and Dalton Knecht.The most important move, though, came when Reaves, coming off a career season in which he averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, signed a four-year, $180 million extension.When the dust settled, it was a dramatic roster overhaul in what could prove to be one of the most consequential summers in franchise history, with the team also being sold for the second time in 14 months, this time to venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger, who bought the Lakers from Mark Walter at a $12.5 billion valuation. -- Dave McMenaminZach Kram's offseason grade: C+The Lakers might have been the busiest team of the summer. But did all that activity make them better, or were they merely running in place?In came Kessler, Mamukelashvili, Grimes, Sexton, Looney, Jaden Hardy, Thybulle and Williams. Out went James, Hachimura, Smart, Kennard, Ayton and Hayes.Put another way: Of the top seven Lakers in playoff minutes this spring, the newly extended Reaves is the only player still on the roster. He, Doncic and Kessler form a strong three-man core. But the Lakers now have one of the NBA's weakest forward groups, a glaring hole at backup center and almost no remaining draft assets to trade after giving up a haul for Kessler, who has never really played a meaningful NBA game.The Lakers mostly did well with depth signings such as Thybulle and Williams. But it's hard to overcome not replacing James' production, even in his 40s. They have less flexibility now, and it's hard to say with confidence that they're any closer to title contention. -- KramWhat we learned over the past few monthsFrom Ben Golliver's offseason lessons piece: The Lakers got serious about building around Luka Doncic.Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka paid an astonishing price in draft assets to land center Walker Kessler, but at least he made strides in building a functional roster around Doncic.With a glaring hole in the middle and a need to find younger talent to support Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers took a step in the right direction by parting with LeBron James and investing in Kessler's potential.From there, Los Angeles needed to fill a bunch of holes created by the departures of Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes. The Lakers didn't have enough spending power to address all their weaknesses after re-signing Reaves, but Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton were all reasonable additions. There's still work to be done to add frontcourt depth, but Adou Thiero and rookie Cameron Carr looked good in summer league.Ultimately, Doncic exits the offseason as a big winner. His partnership with Reaves remains intact, he doesn't need to balance superstar responsibilities with James any longer, and Kessler checks all the boxes for what he needs in a center. The fact that the Lakers sacrificed so many future picks is someone else's problem; Doncic can focus on trying to lead his first deep playoff run since 2024. -- GolliverThe big question: Did the Lakers actually improve?We'll see. After back-to-back 50-win seasons, including a stretch post-All-Star break in which they went 16-2 before Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) suffered significant injuries, does this new group actually have a higher ceiling?L.A. didn't say goodbye to just James, but Ayton, Smart, Hachimura, Kennard and Hayes, too -- making the Lakers the first team in NBA history to have none of its top five players in minutes played from the previous postseason return to the team for the following season.Doncic, the NBA's scoring leader last season, will be tasked with making all the new pieces fit -- like he did during the Dallas Mavericks' run to the 2024 NBA Finals. -- McMenaminBasketball Power Index rank: No. 12Here are the predicted Net Points per 100 possessions for the Lakers' top seven players for the 2026-27 season:Last season's Lakers starters produced +4.6 Net Points per game, ninth best, but their bench produced -2.9, 10th worst. That drop was the biggest in the league. They've shored up their bench but also diminished their starters with LeBron taking his talents to Philadelphia. At least the drop won't be so big! -- Dean OliverRead about how Net Points works here.Post-free agency Power Rankings: Lakers are No. 11Lakers sold at $12.5 billion valuation: NBA execs, agents reactBiggest X factorQuentin GrimesThe Lakers don't have many capable defenders in their perimeter rotation, and the best defensive options -- Thybulle and Jarred Vanderbilt -- are near zeroes on the offensive end. Grimes offers the best theoretical balance, and the Lakers paid him handsomely in free agency (four years, $60 million) to fill that crucial role in their lineup.In Los Angeles, Grimes will need to defend the best opposing guard every night, and he'll have to make his 3s closer to his 2024-25 clip (38.5%) than his 2025-26 rate (33.4%). -- KramBetting insight from our expertBet to make ahead of the season: Doncic to win regular-season MVP (+650)Doncic averaged a league-high 33.5 points along with 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game last season. He already has finished in the top six of MVP voting six times. The biggest hurdles are staying healthy enough to clear the 65-game minimum and getting the Lakers into the top three in the West. If he does both, it will be difficult to argue against Doncic winning the award. -- Eric MoodyOdds by DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publication.
