Lakers Preseason Schedule Released: 5 Things Fans Should Watch Before Opening Night

The dog days of summer have officially arrived for the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the NBA, with the 2026 NBA Draft and Summer League in the rearview, and the majority of free agents having already decided where they’ll be playing next season.

With basketball taking a backseat in professional sports and MLB kicking into high gear, the attention turns to when the NBA preseason will get underway and what this revamped roster will look like when the team gets back to work.

Lakers Preseason Schedule Officially Announced

On Tuesday, the Lakers announced their preseason schedule, with Los Angeles getting back on the floor on Oct. 5 on the road against the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center.

So mark your calendars, Lakers fans. Next game of Lakers basketball set to be played on Oct. 5 against the Kings in Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center https://t.co/qcuhQdRrOx
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) July 21, 2026

The Lakers will play five games during the upcoming preseason slate, facing the Kings (twice), Golden State Warriors (twice) and Denver Nuggets.

Oct. 5 – Lakers at Kings (Time TBD), Golden 1 Center

Oct. 6 – Lakers at Warriors (Time TBD), Chase Center

Oct. 8 – Lakers at Kings (Time TBD), Golden 1 Center

Oct. 13 – Warriors vs. Lakers (Time TBD), T-Mobile Arena

Oct. 16 – Nuggets at Lakers (Time TBD), Crypto.com Arena

Here are five things to watch when the Lakers’ preseason tips off on Oct. 5 in Sacramento, with the team giving a peek at what the new-look roster will look like when the 2026-27 campaign starts in late October.

Luka-Kessler Chemistry

The biggest move for the Lakers this offseason was acquiring center Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz. Luka Doncic wanted a substantial upgrade at the center position, with Deandre Ayton not cutting it last season.

Obviously, with Doncic sending a message to the Lakers brass, the team got to work and perhaps brought in the best option available at the position, with Kessler checking all the boxes as a solid two-way player that can change the way the team plays on both ends of the floor.

Although on paper, Kessler and Doncic seem like the ideal pairing alongside rising star Austin Reaves, it remains to be seen whether it is truly the right fit, making the preseason a must-watch for Lakers fans.

There’s no telling how much the projected starters will do during the preseason, but it would be safe to assume that head coach JJ Redick will want to see what this new-look roster looks like, meaning Doncic and company could get more run than usual during these five exhibition games.

Cameron Carr's Development

During the NBA Summer League, rookie guard Cameron Carr was put under the microscope, with everyone eager to see what the Baylor product could bring to the next level in Los Angeles.

Carr didn’t disappoint, as he was one of the most entertaining and confident players on the team’s squad during the short stint in Las Vegas.

However, now the question is whether he’ll be able to crack Redick’s rotation during the 2026-27 campaign, even though he seems ready to contribute right out of the gate from what he’s shown this summer.

It’s safe to assume that Carr will get plenty of run during the preseason, with Redick trying to figure out how the rookie fits with the team’s plan moving forward.

Matisse Thybulle's Fit on Lakers Roster

The latest move for the Lakers, outside of bringing in Arthur Kaluma on a two-way contract and waiving Peter Suder, was adding veteran guard Matisse Thybulle on a veteran minimum deal.

Although many Lakers fans have been lobbying for Jonathan Kuminga, who could still land with Los Angeles this summer, Thybulle was an excellent addition to a squad looking to improve its defense drastically.

In my opinion, aside from adding Kessler to the mix, which was huge for this team, to say the least, adding Thybulle is my favorite signing of the offseason.

My first thought was that this is the same kind of addition that Marcus Smart was last year. When healthy, he’s one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the league and can stretch the defense with his outside shooting, which has gotten progressively better over the course of his NBA career.

Adding Thybulle to this squad is a low-risk, high-reward situation for the Lakers, which I believe is really going to pay off during the upcoming season, and we’ll get a look at what he brings to the table during the preseason.

Who Might Be on the Roster Bubble?

During the preseason, one of the biggest questions is which players will make the final roster, and it can become a major storyline, especially if unexpected players begin to turn heads, as Austin Reaves did years ago.

The players who will get a lot of attention will be the young guys trying to make a case to crack Redick’s rotation, including Adou Thiero, Cameron Carr, Arthur Kaluma, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Chris Manon and AK Okereke.

This list will likely change over the next two months, with the Lakers expected to make more moves, but as of now, these youngsters will be watched closely, especially Kaluma, James, Knecht, Manon and Okereke.

How Much Will JJ Redick Experiment With Lineups?

One of the most interesting aspects of the NBA preseason is how much Redick will experiment with different lineups and how that affects the rotation heading into the regular season.

With so many new faces on the roster, like Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney, Jaden Hardy, Ziaire Williams and Thybulle, Redick will certainly be doing a lot of experimenting, perhaps tweaking the lineup each game the team plays in the preseason.

Obviously, everyone wants to see what the projected starters will look like on the floor together, with Doncic, Reaves and Kessler leading the way, but the intangible players might be the intriguing part of the preseason.

A lot can happen from now until the start of the preseason on Oct. 5, especially with all the Kuminga speculation and rumors of the Lakers wanting to bring in another big man, but there’s no doubt that these five games will be must-see TV ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

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