Lakers begin 2025-26 preseason with key players resting as they pace a long season. LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Maxi Kleber and rookie Adou Thiero sit out the opener. Luka Doncic will skip the first two preseason games, starting his first full season in L.A. after the February trade from Dallas. His EuroBasket 2025 run for Slovenia—34.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 7.1 APG—underscores the high usage he’ll bring when healthy.

LA’s second tune-up is Sunday vs Golden State, with another meeting next week. The exhibition plan will test depth and rotation balance, influencing early-season fantasy expectations as Doncic’s rest pattern and the roster around him shape minutes and opportunities for role players.

Luka Doncic is easing into Lakers camp after a summer with the Slovenian national team, prioritizing both physical and mental conditioning to protect his body for a heavy schedule ahead. The plan is to ramp up gradually through the preseason, with teammates and coachs emphasizing high-intensity work while ensuring Doncic doesn’t overtax himself. LAL peers praise his floor vision as he learns to mesh with the rest of the squad, setting the tone for a calculated, championship-focused build.

The Lakers have pushed pace and effort in camp, with Redick emphasizing championship readiness and Vincent highlighting the need to read and react alongside Doncic. Injury updates loom, as James and others will sit out the Suns game, underscoring a deliberate approach to balance development with health. The result should be a more cohesive, high-IQ attack once the regular season rolls in.

Jake LaRavia signs with the Lakers as a versatile 3-and-D wing, aimed at energizing both ends and spacing the floor for ball‑handlers. LeBron James signaled the acquisition early, underscoring a quiet yet pivotal offseason move behind the splashy additions.

The 6-foot-7 wing will guard multiple positions and fit into lineups around Luka Dončić’s gravity, with LaRavia emphasizing energy and fit while entering training camp amid injury notes on Marcus Smart, Adou Thiero, and Gabe Vincent. Maxi Kleber’s quad tweak adds a health timeline to the early rotation as the Lakers build out depth.