The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster moves this summer have apparently befuddled rival league front offices.
In a new poll of NBA general managers by NBA.com’s John Schuhmann, the Lakers find themselves in a tie for second place when it comes to the teams with the toughest 2025-26 season outlooks to predict.
The Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, along with the Lakers, all nabbed 7 percent of the available votes. Most of these votes are understandable — beyond the Pelicans, however, who seem likely to be terrrible, even if All-Star forward Zion Williamson can stay healthy for 50-ish games (a lot for him).
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Philadelphia 76ers led the way, with 47 percent. Last year, per Schuhmann, the Lakers’ roster was considered the most confounding, with 17 percent of polled general managers admitting they were scratching their heads.
Ultimately, Los Angeles went 50-32 and nabbed the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, although in fairness the club’s roster underwent a pretty darn drastic few changes via midseason trades. All told, the Lakers ditched Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and D’Angelo Russell, while bringing in Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris. Of the new additions, only Doncic and Kleber remain.
After rescinding a planned trade for Charlotte Hornets rim-runner Mark Williams, LA also later signed Alex Len, in an incredibly misguided effort to shore up its frontcourt. By the end of the Lakers’ brisk foray into the playoffs, head coach JJ Redick was sitting both Len and starter Jaxson Hayes.
So this year’s Lakers made a pointed effort to upgrade at the position, importing former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton after he was bought out from his maximum contract by the Portland Trail Blazers. The 7-footer isn’t much of a floor spacer, but has a great game around the basket, and is essentially on a one-plus-one deal.
Beyond Ayton, the Lakers also signed former three-time All-Defensive Team guard Marcus Smart and 3-point shooting combo forward Jake LaRavia. Ayton and LaRavia should prove additive right away, while the oft-injured Smart in theory could prove valuable, if he can muster up any of his previous Boston Celtics-era moxie and his body can survive the rigors of a full regular season.
The Lakers traded up to nab former Arkansas Razorbacks forward Adou Thiero early in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
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Los Angeles also let Finney-Smith depart for a four-year deal with the Houston Rockets, however. His exit could prove a sizable loss defensively.
If Smart’s body can’t hold up, the Lakers will lean heavily on Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent — neither of whom has been a reliable long range marksman over the full course of their careers.
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