​The Los Angeles Lakers have enjoyed a busy offseason marked by significant turnover. It began with LeBron James informing the team that he would not be returning after eight seasons, as he enters unrestricted free agency. Although he will play his 24th season, it will not be with the Lakers. The changes continued as Marcus Smart, another unrestricted free agent, signed with the Houston Rockets—the same team the Lakers defeated in the first round of the playoffs—while Luke Kennard joined the Phoenix Suns. With three key rotation players departed, the Lakers made use of their salary cap space by trading for and signing restricted free agent Walker Kessler, and bringing in Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton to fill various roles. According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Luka Doncic was reportedly “excited” about the Lakers’ free-agent moves, noting that the team addressed his top wants: retaining Austin Reaves and adding an elite rim-protecting center in Kessler.
Earlier in the offseason, the Lakers made a major move by re-signing Austin Reaves, who had declined his player option and would have become an unrestricted free agent. With Reaves back and four new rotation players added, Doncic appears pleased with the Lakers’ offseason achievements. Woike quoted league sources saying Doncic was “excited” about the signings and that the Lakers kept in regular contact with him during his summer in Europe. There was even a report noting that the Lakers held a meeting last summer outlining the 2026 offseason, with LeBron James not part of those plans.
Was Luke justified in his satisfaction? While losing three rotation players, including one of the game’s all-time greats, was costly, the Lakers addressed important needs. The partnership between Luka and Reaves has grown since Luka’s arrival in 2025, and losing Reaves might have hit Luka’s happiness more than losing LeBron. The largest priority was finding a center who could complement Luka’s game—setting screens, rolling to the basket, and protecting the rim. Kessler fits that role, emerging as one of the league’s most promising young centers due to his ability to create space with screening and anchor the paint. The acquisitions of Grimes, Sexton, and Mamukelashvili further strengthen the rotation: Grimes provides a value replacement for Smart as a connective scorer and defender, Mamukelashvili offers floor spacing as a stretch four, and Sexton supplies a reliable backup point guard to steady the lineup. This reshaped core aims to maximize Luka’s fit with the team while maintaining continuity with Reaves and addressing the rim-protection gap.