The Los Angeles Lakers have a new-look roster heading into the 2026-27 season. Three new starters will be gracing the floor around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. The biggest move was the trade for Walker Kessler, which cost the team multiple first-round picks and $130 million.
Heading into the season, there are plenty of off-the-court distractions in LA. The team once again has new ownership, which gives a sense of urgency around the team. That’s part of the reason why ESPN has ranked them so high in a list of desperate teams.
Lakers Listed as Fourth-Highest Team That Needs to Win Now
Zach Kram of ESPN has the Lakers listed fourth in teams that are desperate to win now. He cites the sign-and-trade for Kessler and re-signing Austin Reaves as the biggest reasons.
“Those transactions just about exhausted the Lakers’ roster-building options; this is their team now, for better or worse. The question is whether Luka Doncic & Co. are strong enough to challenge the top two teams in the West, or whether they will remain a second-tier contender for the duration of this core’s time together,” Kram writes.
Los Angeles doesn’t have many assets to use at the trade deadline if this group of guys doesn’t work midway through the season. Rob Pelinka put a lot of eggs in the Kessler basket. At least in his preseason debut, it looked like that might pay off.
Kessler finally played in the preseason for the Lakers, recording 11 points, nine rebounds, and a block in just 16 minutes of action. He was a team-best +15 against the Warriors. Kessler is expected to help fix the defense, which was a problem for the last couple of seasons.
Los Angeles at least has Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler locked up as the core of the team for the foreseeable future. Adding players around those three will be the key to later versions of this team. As it stands now, they have to develop chemistry with each other.
Walker Kessler Holds the Key to LA’s Success
While Doncic is by far the best player on the team, it’s Kessler who can raise the ceiling of the team. His ability to fix the defensive mistakes from the backcourt will be key. He’s also someone who has a track record of injuries, which is deeply concerning.
Kessler has managed to play just 63 games in the last two seasons. He has also never played in a playoff game. Not only that, but the competitiveness of this season was usually over by February when he was playing in Utah. How he reacts with more pressure on him is unclear.
The Lakers had the 20th-ranked defense in the NBA last season. In order for them to be considered a playoff contender, they have to be at least in the top half of the league. That’s the whole reason Kessler is now in Los Angeles.
Lakers Ranked Surprisingly High on List of Most Desperate Teams