Lakers rebuild around Doncic, Reaves and a returning Kessler

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves anchor a Los Angeles Lakers roster that kept only 42% of last season's minutes as they open 2026-27 at home against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, October 21.

The Lakers went 53-29 last season, took the 4th seed in the West and posted a net rating of 1.8 before the Oklahoma City Thunder swept them 4-0 in the playoffs. Center Walker Kessler returns after playing five games.

The record hides missing time: Reaves missed 31 games, Doncic 18 and Jarred Vanderbilt 17. With Doncic, Jake LaRavia and Reaves, the three the team counts on most this season, all playing, the Lakers went 30-11 over 41 games.

Without one of the three, over another 41 games, they went 23-18. They finished 21-9 over their last 30 games.

Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 64 games, with a Keel Impact of 4.81. Reaves scored 23.3 points a game with 5.5 assists and graded 3.42, but played only 51 games.

LaRavia played all 82 games, scoring 8.2 points in 25.2 minutes, and graded -0.24, a shade below average. What he produces in those minutes can change.

Kessler arrives from the Utah Jazz after five games last season, in which he averaged 14.4 points and 10.8 rebounds in 31 minutes. In 2024-25, his last full season, he played 58 games at 11.1 points and 12.2 rebounds, with a Keel Impact of 2.15. How he comes back is the open question at center.

LeBron James left for the Philadelphia 76ers after 60 games at 33.2 minutes and a Keel Impact of 1.83. Marcus Smart, who graded 3.27 in 28.5 minutes, went to the Houston Rockets.

Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Luke Kennard also left, for the LA Clippers, Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns.

Sandro Mamukelashvili comes from the Toronto Raptors after 80 games, 11.2 points and a 1.72 rating. Matisse Thybulle, from the Portland Trail Blazers, graded 3.33, though in only 30 games at 16 minutes.

Quentin Grimes arrives from the Philadelphia 76ers with 13.4 points in 29.5 minutes and a 0.2 rating, close to average. Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams and Kevon Looney also arrive, and each graded below average last season.

The rookies are Cameron Carr, AK Okereke and Arthur Kaluma. The injury report lists Carr, Sexton, Vanderbilt and Adou Thiero as day-to-day.

Our numbers rank the roster's strength 18th of 30 and project 40 wins with a net rating of -0.2. The projection reads Kessler at 9.3 minutes a game, at replacement level, so it does not include a healthy return. For that part of the roster it is a floor, not a verdict.

Tipoff against the Warriors is at 10:00 PM ET.