EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — It’s a new era for the Los Angeles Lakers.
After eight years, LeBron James left the Lakers and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
James signed with the Lakers in the summer of 2018. He guided the franchise to the 2020 championship at the Walt Disney World bubble and the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
With James gone, Luka Dončić is now the main face of the Lakers franchise. The former Dallas Mavericks superstar is excited for the upcoming season, but he will miss playing with James.
“It was kind of sad. Playing with LeBron was amazing. There’s a lot of things I learned from him. … We all know who LeBron James is,” Dončić told Brian Windhorst of ESPN at Lakers media day.
The Lakers acquired Dončić from the Mavericks in February 2025. James and Dončić had a record of 47-25 in the regular season and 1-4 in the playoffs together.
Los Angeles went 53-29 last season. Dončić led the NBA in points per game and total points in his first full season with the Lakers. However, he missed the 2026 playoffs because of the left hamstring injury he suffered on April 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
James led the Lakers to a first-round playoff series win against the Houston Rockets in six games. Without Dončić, though, Los Angeles was swept by Oklahoma City in the second round.
Pelinka Calls Dončić ‘World’s Greatest Offensive Player’
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters last week that Dončić is the best offensive player in the world.
Pelinka made several moves after James left the Lakers for the 76ers.
“Luka’s the world’s greatest offensive player,” Pelinka said. “And for us to be able to have an opportunity as a franchise to have that player in our building every night as a 26-year-old is special. And it requires us to do special things to put a team around him. And that’s what we started this summer. And we’re really, really happy with the way it’s looking so far.”
Dončić averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game last season. He will make $49.5 million this upcoming season. The All-Star can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028 by declining his 2028-29 player option worth $57.4 million.
A future Hall of Famer, Dončić has career averages of 29.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game in the regular season and 30.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game in the playoffs with the Mavericks and Lakers. He signed a three-year, $160 million extension with LAL last year.
Lakers Have New Team
The Lakers completely reshaped their roster this summer around Dončić and Austin Reaves.
LAL acquired Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz and signed Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle in free agency.
Along with James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton are no longer on the Lakers.
Smart signed with the Rockets, Kennard joined the Phoenix Suns, Hachimura went to the LA Clippers and Ayton was traded to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy.
The Lakers begin the season at home against the Golden State Warriors. Dončić and James will face each other twice this season: December 25 and March 4.
