The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy this offseason, and while headlines detail the departure of LeBron James and so-far failed attempts at landing Jonathan Kuminga as big misses, the front office put in a lot of effort to retool the roster around Luka Doncic and give him enough talent to compete for a championship.
Amid the Lakers roster overhaul, the franchise is still keen on making a late-summer deal for either Kuminga or Peyton Watson, but even if that can’t come to fruition, Los Angeles will still enter the 2026-27 NBA season with a brand new cast of characters, many of whom already share history, which could bode well for team chemistry going forward.
Lakers Praised For ‘Hidden Connections’ On New Roster Around Luka Doncic
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 14: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the first half of the NBA preseason game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 14, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Though some have critiqued the Lakers for not landing any of the superstars they’ve been linked to over the past few months and instead landing a lot of mid-level talent, based on a new report, the team could be in a good spot with all of the recent roster changes.
Writing for FadeawayWorld.com, Gautam Varier detailed all of the hidden connections on this new Lakers roster, revealing many of the players have already been on the court together.
The first of which is Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, as the two shared the stage on Team USA during the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Also with Kessler, he was previously teammates with Collin Sexton and Jarred Vanderbilt on the Utah Jazz. The trio didn’t spend much time together, but they have a preexisting relationship.
As it relates to franchise star Doncic, he has spent time with both Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy while all three were on the Dallas Mavericks. Having two players already with knowledge of how to play with Doncic is key for the Lakers next season.
“Luka Doncic spent the first six and a half seasons of his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks and teamed up with both Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy during that time. Hardy was the first to join Doncic after the Mavericks acquired his draft rights from the Sacramento Kings in 2022,” Varier wrote. “Then, two years later, the Mavericks acquired Grimes from the Detroit Pistons in the summer of 2024. All three were now together in Dallas, but that would only be the case for half a season.”
Additionally, new arrival Ziaire Williams has previous experience with both Jake LaRavia and Bronny James. He played with the former on the Memphis Grizzlies, while also spending time with the latter at the famous Sierra Canyon High School in the Los Angeles area.
“Both Ziaire Williams and Jake LaRavia began their NBA careers with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies acquired the draft rights to Williams in 2021 and then LaRavia in 2022, and they’d be teammates for two seasons. Their time together ended when Ziaire was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2024,” Varier added. “Like Reaves and Kessler, Williams and Bronny James’ tenure as teammates wasn’t in the NBA. They played together at Sierra Canyon High School.”
In a time in the NBA where players jump back and forth between teams and are traded on a whim, having some preexisting chemistry on the roster is good news for the Lakers next season.
All Of The Lake Show’s Offseason Roster Changes
GettyEL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: Los Angeles Lakers general manager, Rob Pelinka, smiles as he speaks to the press during Los Angeles Laker media day at UCLA Health Training Center on September 27, 2019 in El Segundo, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Seeing LeBron James leave in free agency highlighted the Lakers’ offseason, but in the wake of his departure, the front office was extremely busy this summer building around the franchise centerpiece in Doncic.
While the extension of Reaves was another big moment for the team, the Lakers made some big commitments this summer to a few notable free agents after losing many of their top contributors from last season.
Per NBA.com, here are all the changes the Lakers have undergone this summer:
Re-signings: Austin Reaves
Additions: Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, and Ziaire Williams
Departures: Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, LeBron James, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Smart
The Lakers remain linked to Kuminga, Watson, and a few other names in trade rumors to round out the roster overhaul, but even if they can’t get another deal done, the team has hope the major changes will benefit Doncic and the franchise’s hopes of getting back to title contention moving forward.
Lakers Earn Praise For Luka Doncic Roster Overhaul As Hidden Player Ties Emerge