The 2026-27 NBA season is fast approaching, and Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick still has unanswered questions as training camps begin on Monday, Sept. 29. Redick, alongside Rob Pelinka, the team’s President of Basketball Operations, updated reporters on the current state of the Lakers’ roster reconstruction.
Redick confirmed that guards Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, together with center Walker Kessler, are locked in as starters for the upcoming season, though competition for other starting spots continues. When asked about the remaining starters, Redick humorously said, “The other spots will not be two white guys.”
Pelinka outlined three key goals for the offseason roster moves. First was securing Reaves, who signed a four-year, $180 million maximum contract in July. The Lakers also aimed to add a “franchise center” to complement Dončić. To acquire Kessler, who inked a four-year, $130 million deal with Los Angeles, the team parted with several valuable draft picks, including unprotected first-round selections in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030, sent to the Utah Jazz.
Following the departure of LeBron James, the NBA’s oldest active player and arguably still its top star, to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers embraced a youth-driven approach. Kessler is 25, wing Ziaire Williams is 24, guard Quentin Grimes is 26, and both guard Collin Sexton and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili are 27.
Quentin Grimes is expected to start at small forward, while Jake LaRavia and Sandro Mamukelashvili will vie for the starting power forward position.
Fan Take:
This roster shakeup signals a pivotal moment for Lakers fans and the NBA, as the franchise shifts toward a younger core centered around Dončić. How these position battles play out could define the Lakers’ competitive window and influence the balance of power in the Western Conference for years to come.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
