LAKERS OPEN 2025-26 with a frontcourt pivot and a defensive maestro, as Deandre Ayton slides into the starting 5 and Marcus Smart blends playmaking with lockdown perimeter work. Jaxson Hayes shifts into a complementary role to stabilize the interior, and the new mix is designed to tame rebounding gaps that haunted LA in the playoffs.

Their opening week features a marquee home clash with Stephen Curry and the Warriors to kick off the schedule, followed by a Northern California trip to face the Kings, then a nationally televised date against Minnesota on Prime Video. The Timberwolves’ postseason win over LA highlighted the need for improved interior defense and rebound control, both of which Ayton and Smart are expected to bolster right away.

Fantasy managers should note Ayton’s center deployment could lift rebounding numbers and provide steadier production in FG% and demand on the glass, while Smart’s two-way impact may boost defensive stats and rotate solid scoring around LA’s core. LeBron James remains the constant engine, but the supporting cast now has clearer pathways to reliable fantasy value in the opening stretch.

National exposure on the Timberwolves game adds another layer of late-week fantasy relevance, with Edwards’ ceiling as a budding star elevated by the surrounding talent. For LA, the schedule tests the rotation early, and the improved interior presence can create favorable mismatch scenarios for shooters and cutters across the lineup.