Archive
Every unofficial Laker Beat briefing, newest first. Summaries are original; reporting credit lives in the outbound links.
- Camp Day ~3: Wings + Kessler D impresses Reaves/Redick Wed practice: Redick shortened the session for effort; Reaves called scoring on Thybulle/Williams/Thiero with Kessler behind “not fun.” 16→15 still open (Knecht/Hardy named in reporter trade talk—not a club cut). Preseason Mon at Kings; sale still pending BOG / Dec. 8.
- Camp Day 1: Redick’s meritocracy; Dončić–Kessler lob chemistry First El Segundo practice (Sept. 29): three starters locked (Dončić–Reaves–Kessler), two open. Kessler dunked ~four Dončić lobs and called the D “nasty.” Full participation; a couple skipped contact. Beyer retires. Walter→Kushner/Iger still awaiting BOG.
- Camp opens in El Segundo; Dončić cleared, Grimes wants a start After Monday’s media day, private workouts begin Tuesday. Dončić says no hamstring restrictions and will co-lead with Reaves post-LeBron. Grimes wants one of the two open starter spots. 21-man camp roster / 16→15 cut still ahead; Walter→Kushner/Iger sale still awaiting BOG approval.
- Media day today; camp storylines set for Dončić era Player media day is Monday (~11:30 a.m. PT on Spectrum SportsNet); camp opens Tuesday. LA Times frames five camp questions—Luka as face, Kessler’s rim role, Reaves’ max jump, the 16→15 cut, and a still-pending Kushner/Iger sale. Club also added two Exhibit 10 forwards and waived two camp guards.
- Pelinka: Kessler fully cleared; Luka–Reaves–Kessler penciled in At Thursday’s pre-camp availability, Rob Pelinka said Walker Kessler is fully healthy after shoulder surgery and called intro talks with Kushner/Iger “excellent.” JJ Redick has three starters marked; two spots and the cut clock remain open. Player media day is Monday; camp Tuesday.
- Lakers mourn Lawrence Tanter; Luka’s ‘win it all’ essay lands The franchise announced Wednesday night that longtime PA announcer Lawrence Tanter died at 76. Overnight, excerpts from Dončić’s essay in TASCHEN’s official Lakers history book recirculate his championship standard. Media day is four days out; Spectrum SportsNet will carry it live.
- Price projects LaRavia at the 4; Knecht faces the cut clock NY Post’s Khobi Price locks Grimes and tabs Jake LaRavia as the fifth starter—counterweight to yesterday’s anonymous WC coach Ziaire lean. Roundtable’s Sept. 23 cut map puts Dalton Knecht on the bubble. Media day is five days out; Thrive’s $30B pitch still recirculating, no BOG vote overnight.
- 16-to-15 clock starts; WC coach floats Ziaire at the 4 Khobi Price maps Hardy/Knecht/Vanderbilt paths to a compliant 15. A Western Conference assistant tells Heavy’s Deveney Ziaire Williams is the ‘best of the worst’ fifth starter. Luka’s CA window has opened with media day six days out.
- Luka’s CA window hits; NBA eases PE rules for sale Dončić expected back from Slovenia after the Sept. 20 window, with an Instagram goodbye to his daughters. Bloomberg: NBA amending PE policy so Kushner/Iger can invest personal capital with Thrive Eternal. Camp roster flips Watson for Johnson and Ross.
- Watson back on Exhibit 10; Walter faces new class action Lakers re-sign Anton Watson for camp. A Florida annuity suit names Walter’s insurers a day after Silver said the league found no red flags. Sale still pending; Luka’s Europe window closes ~Sept. 20.
- Silver after BOG: no red flags on Walter vetting Commissioner frames federal scrutiny of Mark Walter as allegations, says the league found none when approving him. Kushner/Iger $12.5B sale still not voted. Luka eyed back in L.A. after Sept. 20.
- BOG week: Lakers sale not on the vote Sports Business Journal: Walter→Kushner/Iger $12.5B deal unlikely to be voted on at Sept. 15–16 meetings. Jeanie Buss expected as governor; Dec. 8 court date still the family-stake clock.
- Dončić in final Slovenia prep; BOG countdown on Sportklub: Luka Dončić has finished hamstring rehab and aims to fly back after Sept. 20. NBA Board of Governors meets Monday–Tuesday on the majority sale.
- Amsler hired as second AGM; FO build resumes ESPN’s Shams Charania: longtime Heat VP of player personnel Eric Amsler joins Rob Pelinka’s staff for scouting and draft eval. NBA Board of Governors meets next week on the majority sale.
- Still shopping Knecht & Vanderbilt after Kuminga miss Jake Fischer says L.A. is still exploring wing/forward upgrades with Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt as trade chips. Ownership clock ticks toward the Sept. 15–16 Board of Governors.
- Buss hearing locked for Dec. 8; Looney backs Luka’s lead LA Superior Court granted Adam Streisand’s continuance—Jeanie Buss’s petition hearing moves from Nov. 5 to Dec. 8. New Lakers say the Slovenia minicamp bonded a remade roster ahead of camp (~Sept. 29).
- Kushner as sole control owner; Kuminga officially off the board A New York Post exclusive says Josh Kushner—not Bob Iger—would be the Lakers’ lone controlling shareholder if the $12.5B deal clears. Minnesota finalized Jonathan Kuminga’s deal, ending L.A.’s pursuit.
- Two weeks to the BOG vote; Ziaire Williams maps his wing role Owners still await Sept. 15–16 approval on the $12.5B majority sale. The hometown wing says Redick and Pelinka want him as a point-of-attack defender next to Luka and Reaves.
- BMO becomes the Lakers' official bank; BOG week is two weeks out Practice jerseys and Courtside Reserve get bank branding starting 2026-27. Kushner-Iger majority sale still awaits governors; Jeanie's court fight is set for Nov. 5.
- Joey and Jesse buy into the Padres; the fifth starter may already be here Buss Sports Capital takes about 5% of San Diego. After missing Kuminga, Los Angeles still has 16 guaranteed deals and about a month until camp.
- Kuminga agrees with Minnesota; Buss asks court to freeze the family stake A two-year Timberwolves deal ends a Lakers pursuit. In Los Angeles, Jeanie Buss files to block siblings from selling the trust’s remaining share.