The Los Angeles Lakers retooled their roster around Luka Doncic this offseason with a clear focus on improving their depth after getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs. Head coach JJ Redick wanted to play eight players, but he didn’t have eight trusted options. It was improvement over 2025 when Redick really only had five players he believed in. The Lakers are known for chasing stars, but Rob Pelinka and the front office are changing with the times.
They got rid of LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and Nick Smith Jr. this offseason. That was three starters and three more trusted rotation pieces. The Lakers wanted better fits around Luka and were abandoning the three star approach.
The Lakers added nine players who are expecting to see minutes. They have focused on adding depth after the Thunder used their reserves to destroy LA in the playoffs. OKC didn’t have Jalen Williams, but it didn’t matter. They still played ten in every game and used their second unit to have a massive 32-point fourth-quarter edge over the four contests. The Lakers got tired. The Thunder did not.
Lakers focused on adding depth this offseason to combat the Thunder
LA is still searching for a starting power forward to add even more depth to their roster. The moves may not have been perfect, but coach Redick has options. Walker Kessler is the starting center. Quentin Grimes is expected to start on the wing. The second unit is completely different with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, and rookie Cameron Carr expected to get minutes.
The Lakers may have ten players they trust when the playoffs arrive. Several are facing pressure to start the season, and success should make them ready for the highest-leverage minutes.
LA won’t have to overextend Luka or Austin Reaves. They have options to use when resting their stars.
If they have an injury, the Lakers have the depth to fill it. The Thunder played ten when Jalen Williams was injured. Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, and Kevon Looney currently make up LA’s third-string. A couple of those options are players the Lakers had to turn to for their top-eight in the 2026 playoffs.
Depth wins in the second apron era. The Thunder won the championship in 2025, and the Knicks used their strong second unit to win this year’s crown. The Big 3 era is gone, and rookie contracts are more important than ever. Teams that can go ten deep without getting their weaknesses exploited are taking over.
Rob Pelinka adjusted quickly. Fans don’t need me to rehash the failed Russell Westbrook trade or the pursuits of other stars. The Lakers dumped LeBron to build a deeper roster. That is a bold move that deserves praise. Losing LeBron will hurt in some moments, but Los Angeles had to adjust with the times. Pelinka recognized the Thunder’s depth was the Lakers' undoing, and made an effort to change that.
The Lakers are a deeper team. They don’t have the same star power, but the second-apron era forces teams to make tradeoffs. Los Angeles sacrificed LeBron to have a ten-player rotation they trusted. The Thunder won the championship using this method, and the Lakers are trying to follow suit.
The Los Angeles Lakers learned how much depth matters from OKC, and tried to address the issue this offseason. Getting Thybulle and Williams on minimum contracts helped. The Lakers need to keep building.
It was a positive first step, but they can’t be done. Pelinka is back on the right path, and fans should be excited about what is to come. The Lakers got depth and may just be a few finishing pieces away from another title.
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