The Los Angeles Lakers have Luka Doncic, a revamped supporting cast and championship ambitions. What they don’t have is much certainty about how their new-look roster will perform.
That uncertainty isn’t limited to people outside the NBA.
In the league’s annual general manager survey released Thursday, the Lakers tied for third among teams whose success is toughest to predict entering the 2026-27 season, receiving 13% of the vote.
Only the Philadelphia 76ers (27%) and Minnesota Timberwolves (17%) finished ahead of Los Angeles, which tied with the Utah Jazz.
It’s an intriguing assessment of a Lakers team entering its first season without LeBron James, who joined Philadelphia during the offseason.
The franchise now belongs to Doncic, but rival executives apparently aren’t convinced that Los Angeles has assembled the right pieces to compete with the Western Conference’s elite.
Lakers Face Long Odds in NBA Championship Race
The uncertainty surrounding Los Angeles extends to its championship outlook.
According to ESPN’s NBA Futures page, the Lakers had +4000 odds to win the 2027 NBA championship as of Thursday afternoon, based on DraftKings’ betting lines.
San Antonio and Oklahoma City were the co-favorites at +270, followed by New York and Philadelphia at +900.
The Lakers were also absent from the GM survey’s championship predictions, with San Antonio receiving 50% of the votes and Oklahoma City drawing 43%.
The gap between Los Angeles and the favorites reflects the questions surrounding a roster that has undergone significant changes.
NBA championship futures remain a major talking point across traditional sportsbooks and platforms offering crypto betting on basketball, particularly as teams finalize their rosters before opening night.
For the Lakers, however, the biggest question isn’t whether Doncic can carry an offense. It’s whether his supporting cast can provide enough defense, shooting and consistency over an 82-game season.
Offseason Moves Change Championship Narrative
Lakers president Rob Pelinka spent the offseason addressing those concerns.
The Lakers acquired Walker Kessler to bolster their interior defense while adding Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams.
Kessler gives Los Angeles a legitimate rim protector, something the team lacked during previous postseason runs.
Thybulle and Williams provide defensive versatility, while Sexton offers another scoring option alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The additions have given coach JJ Redick more lineup flexibility, although integrating so many newcomers presents its own challenges.
Tuesday’s 101-89 preseason loss to Golden State offered another reminder that the Lakers remain a work in progress.
Still, the GM survey wasn’t entirely dismissive of their potential.
Los Angeles received 7% of the votes for the NBA’s most efficient offense, ranking sixth in that category.
That recognition suggests executives see the potential for an explosive attack built around Doncic, even if doubts remain about the team’s championship ceiling.
The Lakers have assembled a roster they believe can compete.
Now comes the harder part: proving their offseason gamble was worth it.
Lakers Get Surprising Verdict From NBA GMs Amid Title Hopes