The Los Angeles Lakers have begun a new chapter. The California franchise officially kicked off the 2026-27 season—the first without LeBron James in nine years—with a press conference introducing Rob Pelinka, who wanted to start the year by acknowledging the forward. As he stated, LeBron’s departure was handled in a friendly and professional manner, so he wished to thank the Akron native for his impact on the gold and purple.
“I think the appropriate thing is to publicly express my gratitude to LeBron James,” he said. “In this era, we’ve become a fixture in the playoffs, which is what the Lakers should be, we’ve won a championship, and we’ve reached the Western Conference Finals. It has been a great era and we are very grateful for it. I believe it was necessary to say it before starting this new chapter.”
Rob Pelinka on the LeBron leaving the Lakers:
“To express gratitude for the LeBron era here. It was a great era and we’re grateful for it” pic.twitter.com/S3sEEPqlgo— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) September 24, 2026
A Renewed Roster
A new chapter will begin this season, with Luka Doncic already established as the team’s main figure on and off the court and with Austin Rivers set to be his right-hand man. Pelinka stated that, when shaping the new roster, renewing the shooting guard had been a priority, and he also detailed what other aspects were sought as they built a completely revamped squad.
“I wanted to keep Austin Reaves and find a way to land a starting center. And then, we wanted to shape a roster formed by players approved by Reddick who can dribble, pass, and shoot and who bring us youth and depth. I think we now have a group of young players with a lot of character who care for one another and who are focused on playing the right way.”
In that sense, Walker Kessler has been the most impactful signing, as he not only fills a position the Lakers had long been lacking but also represents a significant investment, since the Lakers sent Utah two first-round picks in a sign & trade and signed him to a contract of more than $30 million per year. But Pelinka has expressed confidence that the gamble is justified.
“There are no other 25-year-old centers who contribute on both ends of the floor and fit so perfectly with our two stars. Resources are scarce. If you look at what we could have landed in the draft or in free agency, you’ll see that profile isn’t available. So when you’re building around a superstar like Luka and such an opportunity arises, you have to seize it. We have total confidence in the decision we’ve made.”
