While the Los Angeles Lakers and 29 other teams are navigating through the chaos that is NBA free agency, there is another important pathway for filling out the roster that is set to quietly begin in the background. The Lakers will be playing summer league basketball starting on Friday.
Summer hoops on deck pic.twitter.com/u91xactHLp
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 1, 2026
The Lakers announced the schedule for both the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League, along with their roster, on July 1. It was a healthy combination of returning players and new faces. Among them, there are five who should clearly stand out as more intriguing than the rest.
5 — Arthur Kaluma could earn himself a two-way contract
Arthur Kaluma has hung around the Lakers organization since going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft. Summer league could offer an excellent opportunity for him to establish himself as someone rising up the ranks of the developmental system in Los Angeles.
Kaluma came on strong as the 2025-26 G League regular season marched on. The Lakers forward finished averaging 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, shooting 36.7 percent from beyond the arc with South Bay (now Coachella Valley).
With the Lakers searching for help at the three and the four, Kaluma could present his case on why Los Angeles should carry him on a two-way contract in 2026-27.
4 — Chase Ross could reveal himself as the Lakers' latest UDFA gem
Chase Ross was one of the several UDFA that found their way to the Lakers after the 2026 NBA Draft came to an end. He might be the most exciting of the bunch.
Ross spent four years at the NCAA level with Marquette. His athleticism and high motor on the defensive end were hard to miss. His 3-point shot, that faded in his senior year, just needs to come back around with the Lakers.
This is the type of player Los Angeles should want to develop and have around Luka Doncic amid the new era for the franchise. It should not be too surprising if Ross secures himself a G League spot with the franchise, at minimum, and possibly plays himself into a two-way deal.
3 — Chris Manon could make a push for the back end of the Lakers roster
Chris Manon is a guy who needs very little introduction with Lakers fans. He is a darling among those who watch the G League affiliate.
Manon's disruptive defense has made him the fan favorite that he is. The Lakers guard averaged 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks with South Bay in the 2025-26 G League campaign.
If the Lakers are on the hunt for guard depth after finishing up their offseason, Manon could get his opportunity to secure one of the final spots on the main roster with a standout summer league showing. If his offense shows enough strides, he could get his way.
2 — Cameron Carr can show off how NBA-ready he is
Cameron Carr is easily in a tier above the rest of the players that have come before him. The Lakers were loudly applauded for getting a steal in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft when they took him 24th overall.
Carr is athletic, can shoot the basketball, and has the defensive tools to be a strong defender in the NBA. Lakers fans will hope the former Baylor Bear quickly establishes himself as one of the players who is too good to be at summer league. That would offer great encouragement about the type of impact he can have in JJ Redick's rotations during the 2026-27 regular season.
1 — Adou Thiero can show off his strides in Vegas
Lakers fans got to gush over just how athletic Adou Thiero was in his rookie season. There were hopes Thiero could break through with the main roster, but injuries ultimately limited the majority of his impact to being contained in South Bay.
Apart from a brief stint in the rotation against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, Thiero showed off his bounce and overall freakiness in the G League. The summer league will be the first sample of what can be expected in the 2026-27 campaign.
One thing Lakers fans will watch for attentively is his shooting mechanics. Everyone should have confidence in Thiero being an effective slasher and cutter on offense. There should even be good faith in his immediate upside as a defender.
If Thiero has polished off the more raw parts of his game, and that is made obvious at summer league, then there is a clear opening among the forward spots on the Lakers that is calling out for him. That could mean a consistent role in 2026-27.
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