The Los Angeles Lakers made a lot of changes to the roster this offseason. However, those changes have indicated a win-now approach.
ESPN's Zach Kram has ranked the Los Angeles Lakers fourth on a list of NBA teams most desperate to win now. The assessment follows major roster adjustments around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves ahead of the 2026-27 season, including a trade and $130 million contract for center Walker Kessler that cost the franchise multiple first-round draft picks.
Kram notes that LA has largely exhausted its roster-building assets, locking in the core trio of Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler. Ryan Stano highlights that Kessler is central to improving the Lakers' defense—ranked 20th last season—despite durability concerns after playing only 63 games over the prior two seasons.
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