NBA 2025-26: everything you need to know about the Los Angeles Lakers this season

The Los Angeles Lakers will experience their first complete season with Luka Doncic, and perhaps LeBron James's last, still aiming for the title

The Doncic Lakers, year II. After a few intense months following the Slovenian's arrival in the City of Angels, seeing the former Mavericks player in "Purple & Gold" will now seem familiar. After adaptation and a clean sweep elimination in the first round of the playoffs against the Wolves, place for ambition.

As very often at the Crypto.com Arena, nothing less than victories is accepted, and regaining the summit of the league. This season should however have a slightly special flavour, whilst the end seems to approach closer and closer for James, 41 years old on 30th December next.

The most prolific scorer in history is playing for time and refuses a farewell tour in due form. But the weight of years makes uncertainty about his future grow. And James has not brought any more clarity to it this summer. Neither has his body, whilst he will miss the start of the season because of sciatica. More than ever, the Lakers are Doncic's team (he has extended for three years), who must carry Angelino fans' dreams.

The directors have not been idle this summer, with limited means, but a little ingenuity. Los Angeles' attractiveness has once again borne fruit, with Deandre Ayton's arrival, cut by the Blazers where the graft had never taken. The former first pick of the 2018 Draft will thus play with Doncic, chosen two picks later, as pick-and-roll partner. In double-double each season since his debut, the Bahamian must establish himself as a reliable solution under the basket, which J.J. Redick no longer had in the second part of the season. Another clever addition, Marcus Smart arrives to bring his experience and defensive qualities on the back lines. At least, provided he spends less time in the infirmary than recent seasons (54 matches since his departure from Boston two years ago).

Around the Doncic – James duo and the two main recruits of the off-season, there are only few major changes from the third-placed Western regular season team a few months ago before being dominated by the Wolves. Austin Reaves will always be the "third man" of these Lakers and will have to be at least as productive as last season (21.9 points, 5.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds after Doncic's arrival).

Rui Hachimura should for the moment keep his starting place, whilst the bench will again revolve around Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, helped by Jake LaRavia, another rather interesting summer recruit. The same recipe, for better results?

Los Angeles Lakers summer movements

Arrivals: Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Chris Mañon (two-way), Marcus Smart, Nick Smith Jr (two-way), Adou Thiero (draft)

Departures: Dorian Finney-Smith, Jordan Goodwin, Trey Jemison III, Alex Len, Shake Milton, Markieff Morris

Los Angeles Lakers player to follow: LeBron James

And a new record to come for James, who is preparing to play his 23rd season in the league. It will however be necessary to be a little patient since he will not start the season, due to sciatica that has been pulling at him since the start of summer. If it is still a little early to give in to panic, this injury is the illustration of the challenge the "King" has faced for a few years and which only increases as the forward pushes back his retirement.

The quadruple MVP perhaps did not show flagrant signs of physical old age last season, as his stats can testify. But the weight of years ends up weighing heavier and heavier.

Are we experiencing the twilight of an absolute legend of the sport? Perhaps this sciatica will ultimately only be a warning signal without further consequences. The Lakers' good showing no longer depends as much as in the past on James. But he remains the absolute X factor, the one who can take Los Angeles from a generally serious team to a dangerous team approaching the playoffs, if he approaches them in full physical form.

Average age: 27.1 years Salary mass: $211.6m (£158.9m) (6th)

Los Angeles Lakers ideal scenario

That James be preserved, that is nothing of a surprise. The Lakers already suffered it last season and prepared for it. But that the "King" be deprived of the ball for so long could make him hungry, very hungry even for his return. His association with Doncic showed first encouraging signs, and the duo did not inhibit their teammates around them at all, like Reaves. Los Angeles could even allow themselves to manage during the regular season without pushing too hard, and still display a satisfactory playing level.

Frustrated with Slovenia this summer at EuroBasket, Doncic could resume the season a little annoyed. And a tickled "Luka Magic" often wreaks havoc on opposing defences.

With Ayton's threat on pick-and-roll, the Slovenian has what it takes to set up his game. Redick counts in any case more weapons than during the last playoffs where he had preferred to pull on his starting five's rope rather than bet on his bench. If injuries generally spare the Angelinos, they can nurture ambitions.

Los Angeles Lakers worst scenario

The Lakers perhaps hoped that after having had to learn to tame each other on the job, James and Doncic would be able to spend part of pre-season perfecting their automatic plays.

Missed, since "LBJ's" health has kept him on the sidelines since July. And this could well still last whilst sciatica, particularly at this age, can really drag on over time. Without James, or even if he is on the court whilst limited, Los Angeles are not quite the same team.

Watch out also for Doncic, whose weight curve seems to yo-yo with a sharp silhouette at the start of summer (104 kilos, nearly 15 kilos lost), then a return to 111 kilos at the Lakers' training camp. Los Angeles perhaps expect to have to save James and his organism, not to see Doncic chain frequent back-and-forths to treatment as was the case in Dallas.

As for recruits Ayton and Smart, the bets are interesting on paper, but not without risks. Smart has not yet regained the makings of a defensive player of the year, nor even of a major NBA player. As for Ayton, he is expected to play off screens and protect the rim, two domains in which he does not really excel (1.13 points scored after a screen, 63% of the league did better, 73rd centre out of 107 in opponents' shooting percentage near the basket). This could be a lot, against the West's best teams, and a frustrating season (and therefore failed according to Los Angeles standards) is clearly not out of the question, with a Doncic who would rise in pressure against the squad's limits and a James who would have his head elsewhere.

This article was originally published on Basket USA.