Los Angeles Lakers News

WESTERN PACIFIC

Chase Ross • SG • Lakers

Chase Ross Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers signed guard Chase Ross to a training camp contract Friday, according to Paul Garcia of The Spot Up Shot, making official the Exhibit 10 agreement he reached in June. Ross averaged just 2.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists across four Summer League appearances but was far more productive at Marquette, posting 14.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals while earning Big East All-Defensive honors. With Arthur Kaluma, Chris Manon, and AK Okereke holding the Lakers' three two-way spots, Ross is likely headed for a developmental role with Coachella Valley, keeping him off the fantasy radar for now.

Sep 20

Ziaire Williams • SF • Lakers

Ziaire Williams Eyes Starting Role with Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Ziaire Williams believes he has a real chance to win the team's open starting spot, according to Ron Gutterman of LakersNation.com, who cited Williams' comments to Ryan Ward of Lakers On SI. Asked whether Jonathan Kuminga's move to Minnesota created a real opportunity in Los Angeles, Williams said, "Yeah, I do," though he added that the failed pursuit of Kuminga did not change his mindset. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler are expected to start when healthy, while Quentin Grimes appears likely to claim another spot, leaving Williams in a battle with Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Matisse Thybulle, and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Williams averaged 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 22.9 minutes with Brooklyn last season, so the defensive role and steals upside are the clear fantasy hooks. He still needs JJ Redick to choose him before the watch-list case turns into draft-day value.

Sep 13

Walker Kessler • C • Lakers

Walker Kessler Pegged as Worth the Lakers' Price

Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler (shoulder) cost a steep price, but Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor said his fit in Los Angeles could make the move worth it. The Lakers sent Utah two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps before signing Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal. The 7-foot-2 big man is fully cleared after left shoulder surgery limited him to five games in 2025-26, and that short sample drives the fantasy case: 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks on 70.3 percent shooting. Playing as Luka Doncic's primary rim-runner should keep the field-goal percentage elite and give Kessler a path to career-best scoring volume. The Lakers have Kevon Looney and other frontcourt depth behind him, but Kessler is the clear starter if the shoulder holds up.

Sep 11

Luka Dončić • PG • Lakers

Luka Doncic Healthy Heading Into Training Camp

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) is healthy heading into training camp after being cleared for full basketball activities in late May, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. A Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered on April 2 cost him the Lakers' final 15 regular-season games and their entire playoff run, which ended in the second round. The 27-year-old skipped Slovenia's FIBA World Cup qualifiers to spend time with his daughters and later hosted Lakers teammates for an August minicamp. Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.6 steals across 64 games last season, winning the scoring title. With LeBron James now in Philadelphia, more of the offense should flow through Doncic, while Walker Kessler gives him a true lob threat. Availability is the only real fantasy concern on an otherwise elite profile.

Sep 10

Walker Kessler • C • Lakers

Walker Kessler Enters First Lakers Season Fully Healthy

Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler (shoulder) said the surgery that ended his 2025-26 season after five games was a long time coming, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "Actually, I injured it back in college," Kessler said. "And then I was playing with it for a while. And then last year, it got a little worse." The 25-year-old enters his first season in Los Angeles healthy after signing a four-year, $130 million deal. Kessler was off to a strong start before the torn labrum, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks on 70.3 percent shooting. As Luka Doncic's preferred lob threat and rim protector, Kessler has a clean path to boards, blocks, and elite field-goal percentage if the shoulder holds up.

Sep 10

Collin Sexton • PG • Lakers

Collin Sexton Cites Winning in Lakers Free-Agent Decision

Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton said the chance to win and make an impact on a big stage drove his free-agent decision, according to ESPN LA. "I feel like I just fit right in," the former No. 8 pick said. Sexton signed a two-year, $19 million deal with a player option after averaging 17.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 26 games with Chicago last season while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from three. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves still control the offense, leaving Sexton as a bench scorer whose fantasy value depends on minutes, efficiency, and whether his defensive stats hold.

Sep 6

Ziaire Williams • SF • Lakers

Ziaire Williams Gets Defense-First Role with Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers forward Ziaire Williams told the Southern California News Group that JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka have framed his role around being a "main defender, point-of-attack defender." The former No. 10 overall pick joined Los Angeles on a one-year, $3 million deal in July after averaging 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 22.9 minutes for Brooklyn last season. Williams expects to cut, space the floor, and run in transition around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, which points to a low-usage role. Quentin Grimes projects ahead of him, while Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Dalton Knecht crowd the wing and forward mix, leaving Williams as a steals-dependent fantasy flier unless his jumper holds.

Sep 1

Sandro Mamukelashvili • PF • Lakers

Sandro Mamukelashvili Fills Stat Sheet for Georgia

Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili filled the box score in Georgia's 101-74 rout of Montenegro on Friday in Group I of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers. The 27-year-old finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals while playing behind bigger scoring nights from Tornike Shengelia and Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze. The passing is the part that should carry over. Mamukelashvili averaged 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 21.8 minutes with Toronto last season while shooting 38.9 percent from deep, and the Lakers gave him a four-year, $52 million deal to space the floor in a reworked frontcourt. Walker Kessler is the clear interior anchor, so Mamukelashvili needs a steady shooting role before becoming more than a low-end fantasy watch. Georgia faces Portugal on Monday.

Aug 28

Quentin Grimes • SG • Lakers

Quentin Grimes Eyes Key Lakers Perimeter Role

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Quentin Grimes has a chance to fill the perimeter role Los Angeles needs after signing a four-year, $60 million deal, with Jovan Buha of Buha's Block and Tony Jones previewing his fit. The 26-year-old should be asked to defend tough perimeter matchups while spacing the floor around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, a role that leans more on defense and off-ball shooting than shot creation. That keeps his fantasy ceiling in check, especially after he shot 33.4 percent from three with Philadelphia last season. Still, his 21.9-point surge after joining the 76ers in 2024-25 showed he can pop when touches open, leaving his value tied to minutes, steals, and whether the Lakers trust him in closing groups.

Aug 25

Jaden Hardy • SG • Lakers

Jaden Hardy Being Discussed in Sign-and-Trade Talks

According to Evan Sidery, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly using guard Jaden Hardy in sign-and-trade discussions with the Atlanta Hawks. The two teams have been talking sign-and-trade this summer involving forward Jonathan Kuminga. It sounds like Lakers' guard Jaden Hardy or forward Jared Vanderbilt could be part of that deal, if it ever happens. It doesn't sound like the discussions got too far because the Hawks don't want to add payroll and actually need to make cuts with 17 players on their roster right now. A move elsewhere would probably help Hardy's fantasy value, but he's staying in Los Angeles right now.

Aug 24

Ziaire Williams • SF • Lakers

Ziaire Williams Calls Lakers Homecoming Super Surreal

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Ziaire Williams is soaking in his move home after signing with the team on a one-year deal. "Seeing my name on a Lakers jersey feels super surreal," Williams said in comments shared by Marc Jacobs, adding that he is excited to play in front of local fans and family. The Lancaster native and former Sierra Canyon standout reunites with Bronny James in Los Angeles, but the fantasy angle is still modest. Williams averaged a career-best 10.2 points with Brooklyn last season while adding 1.4 steals and 1.5 threes per game. His length and defensive activity could help the Lakers, though Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leave him with a limited offensive role.

Aug 8

Luka Dončić • PG • Lakers

Luka Doncic is Fully Healthy Again

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (hamstring) recently stated that he's fully healthy again, according to Dan Woike. Doncic suffered a hamstring strain at the beginning of April that forced him to miss the rest of the regular season and the postseason. After taking a break from basketball to rehab, Doncic is finally feeling fully healthy again. Doncic nearly earned the first MVP of his young career this past season. He averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds across 35.8 minutes per game in 64 contests. He could be asked to do more on the court this upcoming season with LeBron James departing for the Philadelphia 76ers. As long as Doncic can stay healthy, he figures to be one of the best players in the league.

Aug 3

Dalton Knecht • SG • Lakers

Lakers Dangling Dalton Knecht for Possible Trade

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Dalton Knecht may finally get the change of scenery his fantasy value needs, with the Lakers reportedly shopping him and Jarred Vanderbilt as they explore ways to create room for a possible Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade. Knecht, the No. 17 pick in 2024, saw his development stall on a star-heavy roster, sliding from a promising 9.1 points and 1.6 threes per game as a rookie to just 4.2 points on 34.2 percent shooting from deep last season. The fantasy nuance is that Knecht can score, unlike a pure defensive specialist, and a move to a team needing shooting could revive deep-league value. On the Lakers, he remains buried and off the radar, but a trade would make him worth another look as a situational streamer.

Jul 23

Jarred Vanderbilt • SF • Lakers

Lakers Shopping Jarred Vanderbilt

Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is being shopped as a salary-matching piece, with the Lakers looking for a third team to absorb his and Dalton Knecht's contracts to unlock a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade, per Evan Sidery. Vanderbilt is owed $12.4 million next season and holds a $13.3 million player option for 2027-28, making him difficult to route directly to Atlanta in a Kuminga framework. For fantasy, the takeaway is bleak either way. Vanderbilt is an elite defender but an offensive non-factor, averaging 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.8 steals on 29.3 percent three-point shooting last season, and durability has long been a concern. He holds no standard-league value. A move to a rebuilder could give him minutes and deep-league steals-and-boards utility, but on the Lakers, he remains a specialist off the fantasy radar.

Jul 23

Matisse Thybulle • SG • Lakers

Matisse Thybulle Signs a One-Year Deal With the Lakers

The Lakers have signed free agent guard/forward Matisse Thybulle to a one-year, $3.3 million deal, per Shams Charania of ESPN, adding perimeter defense next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Thybulle averaged 5.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 16.0 minutes across 30 games with Portland last season while shooting 39.8 percent from deep. His fantasy case is narrow but specific: a two-time All-Defensive wing who ranks among the league's steals leaders and now spaces the floor at a respectable clip. Standard league managers can pass given the low scoring and modest minutes, but deep leaguers chasing steals and threes can stream him if the role holds. He appeared in just 45 games over his last two Portland seasons, though, a durability flag on top of a low-minute role behind a crowded Lakers wing group.

Jul 20

Cameron Carr • SG • Lakers

Cameron Carr Goes Cold in Lakers' Semifinal Loss

Los Angeles Lakers guard Cameron Carr managed 17 points on 5-for-16 shooting in Saturday's 92-88 Summer League semifinal loss to the Warriors, adding three rebounds and one assist over 28 minutes. He never found his range from outside, missing seven of his eight three-point tries as the Lakers' unbeaten Vegas run ended. The rookie had been one of the event's more productive scorers, dropping 23 against the Clippers, so the cold night stands out as an exception. The No. 24 pick out of Baylor showed real scoring flashes, but his shot selection and ball handling remain works in progress. On a crowded Lakers backcourt led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, Carr projects as a developmental piece rather than an immediate rotation option.

Jul 19

Chris Mañon • PG • Lakers

Chris Manon Stays Hot in Lakers' Summer League Rout

Los Angeles Lakers guard Chris Manon tallied 16 points on 5-for-7 shooting in Thursday's 105-82 Summer League win over the Bulls, chipping in six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block over 19 minutes. The 24-year-old joined starters Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero in double figures as the Lakers stayed unbeaten in Las Vegas and clinched a spot in the tournament's playoff stage. Manon re-signed a two-way deal with Los Angeles earlier this month after logging just 46 minutes across nine NBA appearances as a rookie. His jumper has come around this summer, which had been the knock on a defense-first guard. The harder question is whether he can crack a contender's rotation, and that answer likely starts in South Bay.

Jul 17

Cameron Carr • SG • Lakers

Cameron Carr Notches 14 Points on Thursday

Los Angeles Lakers guard Cameron Carr has put together some quality outings during the Summer League. That continued on Thursday when Carr finished with 14 points, three rebounds, and one steal in the win over the Chicago Bulls. Carr was outplayed offensively by Caleb Wilson, but Carr was more effective overall. Wilson committed eight turnovers during this game, while Carr had zero over his 22 minutes of action. The 24th overall pick from this year's draft looks like he's ready to play consistent minutes in the Lakers' rotation. The offense is run through Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. We'll see what kind of role Carr ends up with at the beginning of the season.

Jul 16

Cameron Carr • SG • Lakers

Cameron Carr Notches 23 Points in Lakers' Win Over the Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Cameron Carr notched 23 points on 8-for-18 shooting with three triples, adding two assists, one rebound, and one block in 29 minutes during Tuesday's 99-85 Las Vegas Summer League win over the Clippers. The No. 24 pick has been the story of Los Angeles' summer, and he closed this one with eight straight points to break the game open. He's playing through a right thumb contusion that cost him a game against Dallas last week. The one rebound in 29 minutes is the tell. Carr is a pure scorer right now, and on a Lakers team that runs its offense through Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, a rookie wing earns minutes by defending and rebounding, not by getting shots. The scoring alone won't put him on the floor.

Jul 15

Ziaire Williams • SF • Lakers

Ziaire Williams Lands With Lakers on One-Year Deal

Free-agent forward Ziaire Williams has agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The 24-year-old spent last season with Brooklyn, averaging 10.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in 22.9 minutes while shooting 42.5% from the field and 34.3% from three-point range. Williams gives Los Angeles another long wing, but his fantasy case is thin unless the shooting improvement sticks and he earns enough bench minutes to keep the steals coming.

Jul 13

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