The Los Angeles Lakers have undergone a massive roster retooling this summer. LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Deandre Ayton are all gone, and the locker room will look vastly different in 2026-27.
But sophomore Lakers wing Adou Thiero isn't focused on all of the internal changes. He's just trying to get better.
Adou Thiero spells out focus amid roster changes for Lakers
“It’s going to be different but that’s not what I’m really focused on right now," Thiero said in recent days, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "This is the team I’m with right now, so I’m focused on getting better, getting better with this group of guys.”
This mindset is precisely what Lakers fans and the organization want to see from a young, gifted player entering his second campaign. Thiero averaged 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per 36 minutes for the Lakers in his rookie season in 2025-26. The 6-foot-7, 22-year-old athletic specimen was drafted at No. 36 overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Lakers then traded for Thiero using their own No. 45 overall pick in that draft.
Thiero started last season on the sidelines recovering from knee surgery, but once he got healthy, he showed some impressive flashes. Now that he's entering a new season healthy, the Lakers are hopeful that his contributions will continue to grow. And Thiero has taken advantage of NBA Summer League as a place to show off his development.
On July 10, Thiero dropped a game-high 20 points (8-of-14 shooting), four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks with zero turnovers in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. On July 16, Thiero tallied 11 points (3-for-9 shooting), seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a win over the Chicago Bulls. His highlight-reel dunks and defensive versatility continue to turn heads, and he’s also building chemistry with rookie Cameron Carr.
Patience will pay off for Adou Thiero and the Lakers
Thiero missed last year's Summer League (due to the aforementioned knee surgery recovery), and he was clearly eager to get out there this year and make an impact. More importantly, every game that Thiero logs against NBA competition will improve his timing and feel for the game at this level. If Thiero can keep developing on a daily basis and remain patient, big things could be on the horizon.
Thiero will need to develop as a long-distance shooter and decision-maker to become the player the Lakers envision, but both of those goals are attainable. He has so many natural gifts already, and it sounds like his mindset is great, too. Thiero's comments about tuning out the noise of the offseason bode well -- it shows that he's in a good place mentally and only concerned with things he can control.
Defensively, Thiero's elite athleticism and 7-foot wingspan give him a head start on plenty of other wings.
Don't rule out Thiero from becoming an important Lakers role player during this new era centered around Luka Doncic. Luka has historically thrived alongside lengthy, bouncy wings like Thiero. While Lakers fans shouldn't judge Thiero too intensely on his summer performance, it's clear that Thiero has a chance to break out and establish regular playing time within the next year or two.
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