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Usually, the NBA Preseason is when teams configure which offseason schemes and rotations they will carry into the 82-game sprint. However, some squads show more of their identity than others. One of those is the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Coach JJ Redick and Luka Doncic. This core has already proven it can hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Why NBA Preseason proved Doncic, Redick, Lakers can win the championship
Saying that much of the Lakers rotation was scraped off the roster is an understatement. Coach JJ Redick and the front office needed to execute an overhaul of insane proportions during the offseason. They saw LeBron James walk in free agency while also bidding farewell to Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes, among others.
The goal was to build a new identity around Luka Doncic. So, the Lakers leaned into that heliocentrism by adding capable secondary shot creators and players who can bail their defense out when the superstar is tired. This is where Matisse Thybulle, Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Jaden Hardy come in. All of this seemed to bear fruit during the NBA Preseason.
Despite splitting their first four NBA Preseason games, optimism runs high around the roster. Even Ben Golliver of ESPN believes the Lakers, led by Doncic and Coach Redick, are title contenders.
"Luka Doncic and coach JJ Redick have both floated championship aspirations ... While Doncic and guard Austin Reaves have an excellent bond, the Lakers clearly trail behind most of the leading title favorites when it comes to continuity. But from a talent and fit perspective, the Lakers can claim some resemblance to the 2023-24 Mavericks now that center Walker Kessler is in place. Doncic led that Dallas team to 50 wins and a surprise trip to the Finals," the NBA analyst declared.
So far. the NBA Preseason numbers back this up. Doncic, for instance, has averaged a whopping 22 points per outing. This is the third-most in Lakers franchise history since the 2010 NBA Preseason. Anthony Davis' 2020 preseason average of 22.5 points and Doncic's 2025 preseason average of 28 points were the only ones above this record.
Luka Dončić's game-high 23 PTS propelled the @Lakers to the preseason win! https://t.co/Ihq67CPBab
— NBA (@NBA) October 9, 2026Reaves is also off to a blazing NBA Preseason start. He currently has the second-most assists in Lakers franchise history in the NBA preseason. This comes after dropping an average of 7.5 assists in two games. The Lakers veteran guard trails only Rajon Rondo, who averaged 8.8 assists in 2018.
Kessler has also been a solid contributor despite playing only one NBA Preseason game. Coach Redick played him for 15.9 minutes. In that span, he scored 11 points on 66.7% shooting while also dropping an assist. Defensively, it seems like the Lakers have found their anchor too. He grabbed nine rebounds, snagged a steal, and got a block.
All seems to be going well for the Lakers. Hopefully, the analysts are right, and this squad led by Doncic gets close to an NBA championship despite major offseason departures.
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