With the preseason over, the Los Angeles Lakers are finally ready to begin the 2025-26 NBA season on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. LA, however, will be without superstar LeBron James.
The Lakers announced on Oct. 9 that 40-year-old James will be out until at least mid-November with sciatica. Now, it’s up to Luka Doncic, entering his first full campaign with Los Angeles, to lead the Lakers with James out.
How exactly is this Lakers team expected to perform, especially without James?
The Lakers finished third in the Western Conference last season thanks to the blockbuster trade that sent Doncic to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis and other assets. Los Angeles was 18-13 with Doncic in the regular season, finishing the stretch with a tiebreaker over the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers to secure the No. 3 seed in the West.
Facing the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers’inability to court a legitimate starting center allowed Rudy Gobert to feast in the paint throughout the series, allowing the Wolves to capitalize on JJ Redick’s small-ball lineup led to Minnesota winning the series in five games.
Key defender Dorian Finney-Smith left for Houston in the offseason, providing Los Angeles with even less size than they already had. To fix the “Gobert Problem,” the Lakers signed center Deandre Ayton to a two-year, $16.6 million contract after he was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers.
General Manager Rob Pelinka signed Ayton for his size and athleticism, and the former No. 1 overall pick is expected to fill the massive hole at center that has plagued the Lakers for the past few seasons.
Other offseason additions include forward Jake LaRavia, who adds more size to the lineup, and veteran guard Marcus Smart, who provides a much-needed defensive presence on the bench.
Additionally, Pelinka signed Doncic to a three year, $165 million extension that will cement the Slovenian superstar’s place in the City of Angels for a prolonged period.
Doncic showcased his leadership in the two preseason games that he played, scoring 25 points against Phoenix on Oct. 14.
Other standouts for Los Angeles in the preseason include Austin Reaves, whose scoring ability creates one of the best backcourts in the league alongside Doncic. Ayton eased into Redick’s system showcased his scoring and rebounding ability and Gabe Vincent, who looks massively improved offensively after he struggled in the 2024-25 campaign, made a strong case for minutes.
If Doncic can confidently step into James’ leadership role during the veteran forward’s absence, Ayton can continue to crash the glass and bring some physicality on defense and if the role players can provide Redick’s lineup with the depth that it needs, then the sky is the limit for the Lakers in a competitive Western Conference.
If Los Angeles can’t correct the mistakes of last season, expect it to drop in the standings of this year’s dauntingly wild West.