Add The California Post on Google If it feels as if the Lakers have had multiple offseasons this summer, it’s because of how eventful the last two months have been.
There’s been LeBron James, one of the greatest players in NBA history and the player who led the Lakers to their last NBA title in 2020, leaving the team in free agency for the 76ers after eight years with the franchise.
There was a roster retooling around superstar guard Luka Doncic, which as of Friday, includes nine new players.
There will be another majority ownership change after Mark Walter agreed to sell his shares of the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at a historic valuation of $12.5 billion, less than a year after Walter bought the team from the Buss family. All while Walter’s business empire is facing a federal investigation into potential loan fraud and business wrongdoings.
As for the Buss family, it is set for another date in court as current Lakers governor Jeanie Buss attempts to block her five siblings (Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss) from selling the family’s 17.8% share of the Lakers.
The ramifications of the Lakers’ offseason won’t be immediately known.
It’ll take at least another few weeks — and possibly months — for Kushner and Iger to officially purchase the Lakers from Walter and become the franchise’s new majority owners.
With the Buss family not having a court hearing until Nov. 5, it’ll probably be a while before its latest family infighting — and its ownership stake of the Lakers — is resolved.
On the court, it’ll take even longer to know whether the roster changes since the beginning of July were worth it in the form of deep playoff runs, title contention and championships.
But despite the roster turnover and off-the-court turmoil, the Lakers’ offseason has still been successful, earning a B grade with a month before training camp starts in late September.
Even with the Lakers coming up empty-handed in their pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga, who is signing with the Timberwolves, and still having a role on the roster for a potential starting-level, two-way wing/forward.
Even with them losing James, along with the entire starting lineup (James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton) that essentially led them to a first-round playoff series over the Rockets in the spring.
Even with many things factoring into the Lakers’ grade still being determined: Once Kushner and Iger get the keys to the franchise, which direction will they take it? Will Jeanie Buss remain the franchise’s governor depending on the result of her litigation with her siblings? Will there be more changes to the organization’s basketball and business structures once the ownership details are finalized?
The noise around the Lakers doesn’t take away from the fact they accomplished many of the goals they entered the offseason with.
They brought back 28-year-old homegrown star Austin Reaves on a lucrative long-term contract (four years, $180 million) that’ll keep Reaves signed with the Lakers for what should be the prime of his career.
The Lakers filled their biggest need by landing Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz to pair the 7-foot-2, 245-pound big man alongside Doncic and Reaves — ending a multiyear saga of attempting to bring Kessler to Los Angeles and finally giving Doncic the type of big man he typically thrives alongside.
Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million), Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million), Ziaire Williams (one year, $2.8 million) and Matisse Thybulle (one year, $3.3 million) were among the complementary signings who have the upside to outperform their deals.
They also added a high-upside first-round pick in Cameron Carr, who could factor into the Lakers’ rotation for 2026-27.
The Lakers got younger and more athletic. They improved their collective perimeter defense and added more bench scoring.
It came at the cost of experience. Proven production. And in the case of acquiring Kessler, significant draft capital.
But the Lakers firmly established themselves in the Doncic era by surrounding him with a better-fitting roster that has room for growth and improvement, rather than year-to-year retooling and rentals.
Yes, rival teams will continue to monitor the status of Doncic, who could opt out of his contract and become a free agent during the 2028 offseason.
But it’s important to remember Doncic has been involved and influential in the Lakers’ roster moves.
And, at least publicly, has made positive comments of the state of the franchise — even without being prompted.
Doncic’s seal of approval won’t quiet the noise, a lot of which is out of his control.
But a content Doncic was an important part of the Lakers’ offseason decision-making, with the franchise looking to steady itself in the coming months.
