When key dates of the 2026-27 season were leaking, there was a humbling experience to be had for the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans. Opening Night in the NBA was set to go on without them for the first time since 2018-19. The Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs all had spots. The Lakers did not.
Was that a sign of the Lakers losing just a little bit of added marketability with LeBron James departing for Philadelphia? Perhaps. However, the hit was clearly not severe enough, because Los Angeles is still all over the nationally-televised games in 2026-27.
The Lakers are tied with the Knicks, 76ers, and Spurs for the most national TV games in this upcoming season at 34. That is, by the way, the maximum number that a team can be given. On top of that, Los Angeles leads the league in most home national TV games.
James leaving the Lakers may have kept them off the NBA's Opening Night, but they are still one of the four teams who the league is featuring at capacity. Anyone who might have been a touch worried about Los Angeles losing its glitz and glam can rest easy.
The Lakers are still comfortably one of the NBA's marquee franchises
The Lakers went through some rough years in the final chapters of Kobe Bryant's legendary career, and the couple that followed before James' arrival. Those days are long gone, and the franchise firmly has their spot among the elites back.
It is the Lakers after all.
Who else in the NBA could be sold twice for over $10-plus billion in such a short timespan? No other franchise has that kind of pull.
All jokes aside, the Lakers brand has always been strong, but it is clearly in a very healthy state now. Despite James leaving, Luka Doncic and a steady roster around him is more than enough for the league to want Los Angeles on as many screens as possible.
LeBron did his part for the Lakers by bringing them out of the depths they were in during the mid-2010s. James should be given plenty of kudos for that, too. However, Los Angeles has fully stabilized beyond the reliance on his star power.
James and the Lakers will see each other in Los Angeles for the first time since getting a divorce on Dec. 25, 2026. When the two sides meet, it will be a star-studded, nationally-televised event fitting of both their statures.
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