Did the Lakers Improve With Flurry of Free Agency Moves After LeBron James’s Departure?

Rob Pelinka answered the bell.

On Tuesday, I wrote that the Lakers’ general manager was on the clock after LeBron James’s departure and needed to quickly pivot and build a roster centered around Luka Dončić. He did so with a flurry of moves in quick succession on Wednesday.

Here’s a look at every addition the Lakers made on the second day of free agency.

Walker Kessler

This was the blockbuster. After a flirtation with Pistons post Jalen Duren, L.A. pivoted hard to Jazz center Walker Kessler and landed him in stunning coup. The Lakers are sending Utah first-round picks in 2031 and ‘33, and first-round pick swaps in 2028 and ‘30 in a sign-and-trade deal that will net Kessler a four-year, $130 million deal.

I had the Lakers as a big winner in this trade, as they landed a center who is a perfect complement to Dončić and Austin Reaves. The 24-year-old Kessler is an elite rim protector and rebounder at 7'2" and a fantastic pick-and-roll center. He's a strong finisher and a great lob threat who Dončić should be able to make even better. He also possesses a high basketball IQ and finds great position on the offensive end despite his limited ability to create his own offense.

While he’s coming off shoulder surgery that cost him all but five games last season, he broke out during the 2024–25 campaign. That season, Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 66.3% from the field. He also led the NBA with 4.6 offensive rebounds per game. The only downside, besides any lingering health concerns, is that he’s a career 54.5% free-throw shooter.

Kessler is the exact kind of player Dončić needed to play off of in the post and his defense at the rim will likely make up for a lot of L.A.’s struggles on the perimeter defensively. It’s a massive upgrade for the Lakers.

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Sandro Mamukelashvili

With Rui Hachimura on his way out of town, the Lakers pivoted to add forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili to a four-year, $52 million deal. This pairing was telegraphed for the better part of a week and the fit makes a lot of sense for both parties.

The 27-year-old Mamukelashvili had the best campaign of his career last season with the Raptors. He set career highs in points (11.2), rebounds (4.9), assists (1.9), steals (0.8) and minutes (21.9) per game while shooting 38.9% from three-point range. He is another guy who should fit well with Dončić.

Mamukelashvili is a floor spacer who can handle the ball and score in a variety of ways. He can shoot but also attacks close-outs and posts up smaller defenders. He’s a smart player who moves without the ball and finds gaps in defenses.

The downside is he’s not a great athlete, and despite a ton of energy is a bit slow-footed defensively. That said, his best fit is next to a more traditional big like, say, Walker Kessler. Offensively, the fit is clear, but he's limited on the defensive end, which could cause problems.

Quentin Grimes

Grimes was another player who was telegraphed as a fit for the Lakers and, lo and behold, he wound up joining them. L.A. inked the 26-year-old guard to a four-year, $60 million deal. He’ll be expected to be a versatile, two-way guard who can be a reliable shooter and scorer regardless of his minutes. He fit well as a sixth man in Philly this season.

This deal reunites Grimes with Dončić who he played with briefly during the 2024–25 campaign. He spent last season with the 76ers and averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists. A career 36.6% three-point shooter, Grimes dropped to 33.4% in 2025–26. He’ll need to jump back up to be effective for the Lakers.

Grimes has a reputation as a reliable defender, but took a step back in that regard this season. The former first-round pick is a great athlete and, when he's at his best, is excellent on and off the ball. Offensively, he’s a shooter with improving shot creation skills but isn’t a playmaker or a great finisher. He should be an excellent fit next to Dončić and Reaves because he won’t have to make things happen himself and will benefit from their playmaking. He’ll also provide scoring for the second unit if the stars are sitting.

If Grimes bounces back next season, the Lakers will have locked up a two-way guard through his prime.

Collin Sexton

The Lakers added one of the NBA’s better downhill guards for the relatively cheap price of $19 million over two years. He’s going to get buckets at the rim while also being a 40.1% three-point shooter last season.

Sexton can score—that’s his value. He averaged 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 23.7 minutes per game during the 2025–26 campaign in stops with the Hornets and Bulls. He’ll be projected as the backup point guard, something the Lakers really didn’t have last season. Sexton is a good creator who can also space the floor, and shot 44.5% on catch-and-shoot threes last season.

The downside here is that Sexton is not a good perimeter defender. He’s limited by his 6'3" frame and can get eaten up by bigger guards and wings. He will be a secondary scorer who can put the ball in the hoop in a variety of ways.

Given the price, it’s not a bad fit for the Lakers who desperately needed to add scoring to their second unit.

Verdict

The Lakers improved some glaring weaknesses on Wednesday. They finally landed a center who should fit seamlessly with Dončić, then brought in three players who filled urgent needs. Mamukelashvili adds versatile offense and shooting they need with Hachimura departing. Meanwhile, Grimes and Sexton both add reliable scoring punch for the times when Dončić and Reaves are off the floor. Grimes also adds a level of defensive intensity the current roster didn't have.

It’s safe to say the Lakers are better today than they were yesterday, and have set themselves up to be better long term than they were at the end of the season. While not complete yet, if everything comes together, this roster is poised to compete in the Western Conference.

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