Los Angeles Lakers' Roster Conundrum
The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the offseason reshaping their roster, adding depth across nearly every position while building around franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic. With training camp approaching, the organization now finds itself facing a different challenge: trimming its roster to meet the NBA's regular-season limit. As it currently stands, the Lakers have 16 players on standard NBA contracts. League rules require teams to carry no more than 15 players on the standard roster entering the regular season, meaning L.A. will need to waive or trade at least one player before opening night.
What happened?
The Lakers' roster is centered around Doncic, who enters his third season in L.A. as the face of the franchise following the team's transition into a new era with LeBron James' exit. Austin Reaves remains one of the team's most important returning players after re-signing to the biggest contract for an undrafted player in NBA history. The Lakers also addressed their need for size in the frontcourt by acquiring Walker Kessler, who is expected to provide interior defense, rebounding, and rim protection.
Why it matters for Los Angeles Lakers
Beyond those three players, the starting lineup remains undecided heading into training camp. Quentin Grimes will compete for a major role after joining the Lakers as a versatile two-way guard capable of defending multiple positions and spacing the floor. Sandro Mamukelashvili also enters the season as an important frontcourt piece after providing the team with shooting and offensive versatility. Other players could push for starting opportunities depending on how head coach JJ Redick wants to build his rotations.
What comes next?
The competition for those final starting spots will likely be one of the biggest storylines throughout training camp and preseason. The Lakers' depth may be their biggest strength entering the 2026-27 season, but it also creates a challenging roster situation. Collin Sexton gives the team another proven scoring guard who can provide instant offense off the bench. Jaden Hardy adds another young perimeter scorer, while Kevon Looney brings championship experience and frontcourt stability as a backup center behind Kessler.
Lakers' Depth Creates Roster Decisions
The current depth chart gives Redick plenty of options, with the ability to create different lineups depending on matchups. The Lakers can lean into defense with Jarred Vanderbilt and Matisse Thybulle, add shooting with Grimes and Knecht, or use bigger lineups featuring Kessler and Mamukelashvili. However, having too many players competing for limited spots means someone will ultimately be left out. Unless another move is made before the regular season begins, the Lakers must reduce their roster from 16 standard contracts to 15. Whether that comes through a trade or a difficult roster decision remains unknown, but L.A. has created a rare situation where multiple NBA-caliber players are fighting for one available spot.
The recent form of the Los Angeles Lakers has been a concern, with the team losing the last 5 games, including a 110-115 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 12, 2026. This has put additional pressure on the team to make the necessary roster adjustments to ensure a successful season. The Lakers' head coach, JJ Redick, will have to make some tough decisions to trim the roster and create a competitive lineup for the upcoming season.
