Now that the New York Knicks have claimed the 2026 NBA championship, the race for the 2027 title has begun. The NBA draft will take place next week, and just days later, teams will be allowed to officially begin negotiating with free agents.
The Los Angeles Lakers, of course, are hoping to build on what they did in late February and March when they won 16 of 18 games before a hamstring strain sidelined Luka Doncic and effectively torpedoed the rest of their season. They have a very strong core, but they need some reinforcements, especially when it comes to athleticism, defense and 3-point shooting.
ESPN has already released its first power rankings for the 2026-27 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Knicks are in the top three in that order, while the Lakers came in at No. 9.
“The Lakers have won just one playoff game with Luka Doncic since they traded for him a season and a half ago,” wrote Dave McMenamin.
“With some semblance of luck and continued dedication to his body, the hope is that Doncic will be available when it counts after missing the entire 2026 postseason with a hamstring injury.
“His healthy presence alone gives L.A. a chance at more success next season, but it’s too early to tell just how good the Lakers can be until the contracts of LeBron James and Austin Reaves are figured out — and how the rest of the roster can be filled out to complement Doncic’s tremendous talents.”
James, of course, is about to become a free agent, and Reaves will almost certainly opt out of his contract and also become a free agent. In addition, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard will hit the open market, and Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart have player options for next season that they can decline.
The Lakers’ roster could look significantly different by the end of the summer, but at least one report has indicated that the team will, in all likelihood, instead run it back and perhaps make one addition to its rotation.
Los Angeles finished with a 53-29 record and claimed the third seed in the Western Conference during the regular season. Without Doncic, it was swept by the Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Where the Lakers rank in ESPN’s first 2026-27 NBA power rankings
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
