FSM Feature: Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview - 2025 - Can A Rejuvenated Squad Return to Championship Form?

FSM Feature: Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview – 2025 – Can A Rejuvenated Squad Return to Championship Form?

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2024-2025 Los Angeles Lakers (50-32)

This season, the Los Angeles Lakers enter the spotlight with Luka Doncic and LeBron James finally set to play a full campaign together. With new additions to the roster, this group now has the opportunity to build chemistry and elevate their collective game.

A breakdown of the Lakers‘ schedule this season includes 14 back-to-back games (one more than they had last year) and 34 nationally televised games (tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks for the most in the league). 

Their toughest stretch projects to be in late January through late February, where they face the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Knicks on the road; while at home, they’ll take on the Philadelphia 76ers, Warriors, Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Mavericks, Clippers, Boston Celtics, and the Orlando Magic.

Their easiest stretch comes in early November through early December, where they’ll take on the Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz (x2), Pelicans (again), Phoenix Suns, and the Toronto Raptors.

James, entering an unprecedented 23rd season for an NBA player, and coming off an All-NBA 2nd Team nod, said, “I don’t know when the end is, but I know it’s a lot sooner than later. I’m just excited about the journey and whatever this year has in store for me.”

James is coming off a season averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He left the offseason focused on improving his catch-and-shoot skills and off-ball movement, noting that, with so many ball handlers in Los Angeles, he must find ways to stay effective off the ball.

However, everything got placed on hold after James was sidelined for 3 to 4 weeks due to sciatica on his right side. He’s slated to miss the remainder of the preseason and the start of the 2025-26 NBA season. This means his season debut could come at any time during a 5-game road trip in November, where from the 8th to the 15th, they’ll play the Hornets, Thunder, Pelicans, and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Doncic said he’s “way more comfortable” coming into this season from a leadership standpoint. Obviously, it’s tough to join a team in the middle of the season like last year; however, Los Angeles rewarded him with a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, with a player option in 2028.

“I’m really grateful to the Lakers organization, my teammates and the fans for welcoming me and my family with so much support and kindness since day one,” Doncic said of the deal. “This is an amazing organization, and I truly believe in what we’re building together. I’m going to keep working as hard as I can to bring another championship to Los Angeles and to make Laker Nation proud. I’m excited for what’s ahead and to keep building something special with this team.”

In 28 games with the Lakers last season, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 assists per game. 

Austin Reaves’ availability last season was key (73 game starts led the Lakers), and he’s continued to grow every year he’s been in the league. Yet, could this be the year he finally plateaus?

Reaves is coming off his best year yet, where he averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Even with the arrival of Doncic, Reaves continued to average 21.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 26 games playing alongside The Don last season.

“Every day that he’s been in the gym, he’s been the best player in the gym,” Redick said on Reaves this summer. “His body is really good right now. He’s really strong. His burst, his athleticism. It’s evident that he spent a lot of time working on his body this summer.”

“Pressure is a privilege,” Deandre Ayton said on stepping back into the spotlight after not being on competitive teams in Portland. “This is an opportunity I’m truly not taking for granted. It’s almost like a wounded animal.”

Los Angeles signed the former No. 1 overall pick on a two-year, $16.6 million agreement, hitting the books for 2025-26 and 2026-27 with a player option in Year 2. He’s also still due $25.6 million from the Portland Trail Blazers following his buyout. Between Portland and the Lakers, Ayton will earn $34 million this season.

Since his exit from the Phoenix Suns in 2023, Ayton has played in 95 games over the past two seasons for the Trail Blazers (57.9 percent). During his tenure in Portland, Ayton averaged 31.5 minutes, 15.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game on 56.9/16.7/75.5 percent shooting splits.

“Acquiring a starting-caliber center was the top priority for us this offseason, and we believe Deandre is an amazing solution to that objective and is an ideal player to add to our current core,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said on the Ayton signing.

Ayton is the only player in NBA history to average 15+ points on 60+ percent shooting in the postseason. He has career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds on 59 percent shooting over the last seven seasons.

The Lakers bolstered their guard rotation when they enlisted the services of 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and quickly signed a two-year, $11 million deal with Los Angeles after clearing waivers. 

Smart acknowledged that the last two years have been rough with situations and injuries, and he feels like he has something to prove. “People have probably forgot what I can do and what I bring to the table,” Smart said.

Since his departure from the Boston Celtics in 2023, Smart appeared in just 54 games over the past two seasons, playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Wizards. Smart averaged 23.8 minutes, 11.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on 41.1/33.1/76.4 percent shooting splits over that limited stretch. Keeping those numbers in mind, Smart, a three-time All-Defense first team guard, will have a player option on his new Lakers deal in hopes of entering a more flush 2026 free agency market. 

Smart knows that the Lakers will rely on his defensive versatility and use him to defend everyone from small guards to bigger forwards, as he has done more frequently over the past two seasons.

Lakers’ rookie Adou Thiero told reporters at media day that he is experiencing swelling in his knee and has not been cleared for the start of training camp. The rookie is still in line with the team’s recovery timeline.

The Lakers traded from No. 55 to No. 45 and then No. 45 to No. 36, trading up in order to draft Thiero out of Arkansas. A lot of people had first-round grades on Thiero before his knee injury. If he returns to full health, Los Angeles may have gotten the steal of the draft.

Thiero is a 6’8″, 220 lb forward known for elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and a high motor. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game last season. Thiero also shot a hyper-efficient 54.5 percent from the field. However, he wasn’t a great 3-point shooter, shooting just 25.6 percent from deep.

When asked about not having all of his players available for training camp and if it was a missed opportunity to be able to work fully on cohesion, Redick said, “you got to play the cards you’re dealt. That’s just the reality.”

Pelinka announced that they extended head coach JJ Redick’s contract coming into the season, “We think he’s a special coach with a special voice that’s really helping us to continue to define the culture of Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said. “We just wanted to make a clear statement that this is what we believe in, what we’re going to lean into, and what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity.”

Redick stated that there are “seven or eight starter level players” on the roster, but he hasn’t spent much time thinking about the group that will start the season, noting how many different lineups (well over 20) started in 2024-25. However, their guard rotation will feature Doncic, Reaves, Smart, Gabe Vincent, and Jake LaRavia as rotation locks.

“We’ve asked all our guys to be in championship shape,” Redick said as a point of emphasis for the whole team. “The commitment level has been very high this summer.”

The Lakers also announced that Pat Riley will have his statue unveiled outside the Crypto.com Arena on February 22nd, 2026, ahead of the matchup against the Celtics. Riley won two of his four NBA championships coaching the Lakers against Boston.

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