Media Day is one week away for the Los Angeles Lakers, and that means training camp is on the horizon, too. Despite that, the team has not yet been finalized in Los Angeles. The Lakers are still carrying 16 of a possible 15 main roster spots. At this point, that looks tactful.
The Lakers have been stuck at 16 for a while now. Earlier in the summer, the thought was that Los Angeles would send out two of their players in a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade. That would have gotten the roster to 15. That window of opportunity is long gone and unfulfilled.
There has been some speculation the Lakers are searching for a starter, but there is no imminence that comes with that. The long-term solution might come at the trade deadline, or even next season. No such luxury will be afforded with the roster trim, though.
Rob Pelinka needs to get the team down to 15 by opening night. With training camp right around the corner, the Lakers can use that to make a more informed decision on who to keep around. Given how long the franchise has dragged their feet, it would be surprising to not see them utilize the opportunity for a more calculated evaluation.
Lakers training camp will help decide how final roster shapes up
Every Lakers fan will have the guy(s) who they they believe will be gone before the 2026-27 NBA season tips off. Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, and Jarred Vanderbilt are just some of the names who will be near the top of the potential departures list.
After training camp, there should be a better idea of who is the most expendable. On top of that, the Lakers can answer other questions which should help them make their choice. The conversation around the fifth starter should be key to that.
How badly do the Lakers need someone new in the building to fill that final starting spot? Can Los Angeles rely on one of the players they already have?
The answers to those questions could heavily factor in for Pelinka. If someone like Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero, or otherwise proves capable of holding the fort at starting forward, the coming roster decision gets made easier. The Lakers can simply cut the dead weight.
If they are confident about an internal starting option, they can simply evaluate who number 16 on their roster is. Los Angeles can then proceed to waive or trade them.
Should they feel that fifth starter spot requires an immediate external solution, the plans could look a lot different. The Lakers should not want to punt on the opportunity to make a push this season. Knowing that you desperately need an upgrade at forward and doing nothing about it would be malpractice for a team hoping to be competitive with Luka Doncic.
One way or another, training camp should offer the Lakers valuable insight on how to finalize the roster. That should mean the fanbase temper their immediate expectations about how soon the next move comes. The NBA teaches us time and time again that anything is possible, so that prediction is far from prophecy. However, it would be genuinely surprising to see Los Angeles rush anything.
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