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2026 Los Angeles Lakers Predictions with Best Bets and Odds to Win NBA Championship

by Spencer Toth - 10/7/2026

Los Angeles Lakers predictions Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers will look like a new team this year without LeBron James on the floor, but they still feel as though there is enough firepower on this roster to make a deep playoff run. Luka Doncic is one of the most prolific scorers in the league, and a young core has set the Lakers up to compete for years to come. Will Los Angeles be able to make a deep playoff run with their brand-new roster, or will an immediately coherent unit after a busy offseason be too much to ask?

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Los Angeles Lakers Offseason Recap

The Los Angeles Lakers had a very busy offseason as they looked to retool their roster after the departure of LeBron James. James came into the league with the highest of expectations and somehow managed to surpass them. He is the all-time scoring leader, games played leader, has the fourth-most assists, the most playoff assists, is a 22-time All-Star, has won Finals MVP with three different franchises, and is somehow still productive at 41 years old. He spent the last eight years with the Lakers, became the face of the franchise, and will leave a massive hole both on and off the court with his departure. 

The Lakers couldn’t spend the offseason crying about LeBron and instead got right to work in blowing up their roster. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves stayed put, with Reaves signing a four-year extension, but the rest of the roster is full of fresh faces. Walker Kessler was the most impactful signing, costing the Lakers four draft picks including two first-rounders. He averaged 11.1 PPG and 12.2 rebounds with 2.4 blocks in his last full season, but shoulder issues limited him to just five games last season. His impact on the defensive end of the floor makes him one of the brightest big men in the league at just 25 years old. 

The Lakers also got two other new starters with Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle. Both came in free agency and are excellent defenders to offset lackluster defensive play from Doncic. Grimes is a strong catch-and-shoot wing who can also create his own offense off the dribble, while his ability to fight through screens and stay very sticky on the defensive end makes him a well-rounded two-way player. Thybulle has less offensive upside, but he still shot 38% from three last year and is one of the best on-ball defenders in the league. Thybulle is a two-time All-Defensive Team member, and was acquired on a cheap one-year, $3 million deal. 

The Lakers bench is almost an entirely new unit too, with Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and 24th overall pick Cameron Carr expected to make the rotation. Sexton has been plagued by injury issues throughout his career but still has real upside, while Kevon Looney is the perfect physical center to lead the second unit. Mamukelashvili showed flashes of brilliance with the Raptors last year, as he can score both from behind the arc and in the paint, can guard all five positions, and brings real tenacity on defense. 

To make space for all the new faces, the Lakers cleaned house outside of Doncic and Reaves. Deandre Ayton was traded for draft picks, with Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Jaxson Hayes, and Luke Kennard all left via free agency. The Lakers depth was a real concern last year, so the front office opted for an entirely new strategy heading into the 2026-27 season. 

2026 Los Angeles Lakers Season Expectations

The Lakers play in arguably the biggest market in the league, they have the two-time NBA scoring leader, and a young core ready to win. The expectation is that the Lakers can at the very least go on a deep playoff run, if not win the championship. Luka Doncic was already shouldering the bulk of the offensive workload last season, and now that LeBron is gone, even more weight falls on his shoulders. He averaged 33.5 PPG last season to lead the league, while also posting 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Doncic finished fourth in MVP voting, was a big reason why the Lakers made the second round of the playoffs and will likely put up monstrous numbers again this season. He has an unlimited range and always has the green light to shoot but also isn’t afraid to find the open man if the defense collapses on him. 

All eyes are on Doncic, but the determining factor this year will be the play of Austin Reaves. The league already knows what kind of boxscore Doncic will post on a nightly basis, but Reaves is more of an unproven asset. The Lakers clearly want to build around him with the offseason extension given, and his 23.3 PPG last year was a career high. However, Reaves had the worst season since his rookie year from deep with a 36% clip, while his assists and rebounds flattened out over the last three seasons. His defense is far from elite, if anything it is a liability, and unless he is a lights out shooter this season, this contract may come back to haunt the Lakers. 

On defense, the Lakers were 20th in the league and really struggled on the inside. Opponents were very efficient at the rim with a lack of shot blockers, and they will be hoping Kessler can stay healthy, and make an impact in that area. Attacking the perimeter was a primary focus for JJ Redick last year, and the Lakers thrived in forcing turnovers on the outside. Wing defenders Thybulle and Grimes will seamlessly fit in Redick’s defensive scheme, and should be a strength of the Lakers this year. 

2026 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule Breakdown

 

It is always an event when the Lakers come to town. And even without LeBron on the roster, they will still draw tens of thousands of eyes. They open up the year with a very soft start, playing the Clippers and Warriors twice, and the Jazz and Trail Blazers once in the first six games. Over Christmas, the Lakers have a big game against LeBron and the 76ers which is sandwiched by four home games through the holiday period. The Lakers longest road trip of the season comes near the end, as they have a five game East Coast swing immediately followed by a five game home stand to close out the year. 

2026 Los Angeles Lakers Odds

The Lakers are expected to make the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season -375 odds to do so. Their win total is 45.5 this year, a line they have eclipsed in three straight seasons including their 53-29 record from last year. They trail the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves in the West, but the upside is still clearly there with +2000 odds to win the conference. The Lakers have +4000 odds to win the NBA championship, which would pull them level with the Celtics at 18 titles. 

In the NBA Cup, the Lakers have their work cut out for them alongside the San Antonio Spurs in West Group C. They have +400 odds to finish on top in the group that also has the Warriors, Trail Blazers, and Kings. The Lakers have +1000 odds to reach the NBA Cup Final, and +2500 odds to become the first franchise to win multiple NBA Cups. 

2026 Los Angeles Lakers Season Predictions and Best Bets

The Lakers did an excellent job of modifying their roster to build around Doncic and Reaves, but I am not fully convinced that it was the right move. Doncic is a premier scorer whose offense is rarely matched, but Reaves still has lots to prove before he can become ‘that guy’. A soft start for the Lakers schedule will give them time to work out the kinks, but matching their 53-win total last year may be too much to ask. I expect them to make the playoffs at -375 barring any wave of injuries, but even the 45.5 win total is too close to call. 

For the first bet, we will instead get creative with the Lakers to finish exactly sixth in the West at +600 odds. The Spurs and Thunder don’t even need to be mentioned as they will finish top two, while I am also confident in both the Rockets and Nuggets this year. The new-look Timberwolves and Lakers will probably be battling for fifth and sixth spots, as I don’t see the Trail Blazers or Warriors edging either of those teams. When it is all said and done, the Lakers will be the ones just behind the top pack, but still ahead of the play-in tournament teams. At +600, this feels like the perfect prop to attack. 

For the second bet, we are heading to the NBA Cup. Los Angeles has the scorers needed to thrive in the single elimination format, and I truly think they are one upset against the Spurs away from going all the way. Beating San Antonio on the road in the NBA Cup group stage finale will not be an easy task, but the upside is there. Rather than taking the Lakers to win the group at +400 or make the NBA Cup Final at +1000, we will shoot for the stars with an NBA Cup victory at +2500 odds. 

Top Pick: Los Angeles Lakers to Finish Sixth in the West +600

Pick: Los Angeles Lakers to Win the NBA Cup +2500

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