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Some might argue that LeBron James ' exit from the Los Angeles Lakers was always on the cards this offseason. James decided to enter unrestricted free agency after taking up his $52.6 million player option at the start of last season, and has informed the Lakers that he will play for another team in the upcoming campaign.
LA had in recent months begun to prioritize building for the future around the likes of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, and James' camp had reportedly been understanding of the fact that balancing that vision with his need to win a championship was difficult. And well, LA has seemingly responded like a team that was prepared for LeBron's decision.
The franchise has committed exactly $446 million in free agency and returning players over the last week per a post on X by ClutchPoints, and appear intent on kickstarting their new era with Doncic as the sole focal point. Rather than preserving flexibility, they have immediately splurged on five players who are more complementary of Doncic's timeline, addressing some obvious roster needs.
However, where does that leave them in what has increasingly become a packed Western Conference?
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The centerpiece of the Lakers' post-LeBron reconstruction is the acquisition of Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz. Los Angeles traded unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, signing Kessler to a four-year, $130 million contract.
The move addresses what had been one of the roster's biggest weaknesses by adding one of the league's premier young defensive centers. Kessler, who turns 25 later this month, averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, three assists and 1.8 blocks per game last season. An already elite rim protector and rebounder, Kessler is a dependable lob target for the likes of Doncic to play alongside.
Moving on, they dipped into free agency to sign Quentin Grimes to a four-year, $60 million contract with a player option in the final season. Grimes is coming off a season in which he averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists across 75 games for the Philadelphia 76ers.
He also previously played with Doncic in Dallas and is an elite three-point shooter and a versatile defender. LA then signed another young scoring guard in Collin Sexton to a two-year, $19 million with a player option for the 2027-28 campaign. Sexton averaged 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists across 68 games between the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls last season, and is a proven scorer who can complement the likes of Reaves and Doncic, and also has the ability to provide a scoring punch off the bench.
Finally, the Lakers also improved their frontcourt depth by signing Sandro Mamukelashvili, who agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $52 million contract. Mamukelashvili broke out with the Toronto Raptors during the 2025-26 season, averaging career highs of 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while appearing in 80 games, including 13 starts. He shot an impressive 38.9% from three-point range and can be another dependable bench option, something LA had a dearth of last year.
All of the above comes alongside LA's decision to make Austin Reaves one of the highest-paid undrafted players in NBA history. Reaves declined his $14.9 million player option before agreeing to a four-year, $185 million maximum contract, which is reportedly the biggest contract ever signed by an undrafted player. The long-term vision is clear.
The Lakers may have lost LeBron, but they have responded by immediately plugging their center hole, have improved their depth across the board, and now have the right kind of players to complement their ball handlers in the form of Doncic and Reaves.
Not only do the Lakers have a much-deeper roster, they have also immediately retooled according to their best players' strengths, and may as well come back much better even if they do not make another move in the current offseason. Collectively, the Lakers have undergone a sweeping roster transformation.
Departures include LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. Los Angeles has shifted from building around LeBron James to constructing a younger core centered on Doncic, Reaves and Kessler, surrounding them with complementary shooting, perimeter defense, scoring depth and interior size. While the aggressive spending and sacrifice of future draft capital limits flexibility for future blockbuster trades, the Lakers were curtailed last season especially in the playoffs due to the injuries they suffered.
With more depth across positions, they are likely to improve from the 53-29 record they had last season, especially when one considers the number of games their big three also missed in the regular season. The trio of Doncic, LeBron and Reaves played just 17 games together last season, and there is no reason why they cannot improve on that record and be among the top teams in the West next season.
We believe they now have enough to breach the 55-win mark next campaign, which should be good for at least a No. 3 seed next season.
Final Ranking Prediction: No. 3 Seed (55-27)
Related: Of course Skip Bayless loves Lakers' bombshell free agency moves with 'LeGone' out
Related: Quentin Grimes' adorable photo with dad shows he was meant to be a Laker
