Roster clock: Luka’s Sept. 20 California window
Luka Dončić’s Europe prep window closed over the weekend. Sportklub (via NY Post / BasketNews / Hoops Wire) reported he was expected to leave Slovenia for Los Angeles around Sept. 20, giving him roughly a week on the ground before media day (Sept. 28) and training camp (Sept. 29).
NY Post’s Melissa Rohlin notes Dončić posted Instagram photos Sunday with daughters Gabriela and Olivia in Slovenia, acknowledging he was heading back to the U.S. without them. He is expected healthy for camp after the Grade 2 left hamstring strain that ended his 2025-26 season April 2; treat European rehab/weight notes as reporting, not a Lakers medical release. Sportklub also said he is not expected to miss the entire preseason.
Regular-season opener remains Oct. 21 vs Golden State at Crypto.com Arena. Preseason starts Oct. 5 at Sacramento (five exhibitions total).
NY Post (Rohlin) · Hoops Wire (Amico) · BasketNews · Lakers Nation (Valento)
Ownership: NBA amends PE policy for Kushner/Iger path
Bloomberg (Randall Williams, Sept. 18) reports the NBA is amending its private-equity policy so a firm and its executives can invest in the same franchise—clearing a structure hurdle for Josh Kushner and Bob Iger to put personal capital alongside Kushner’s Thrive Eternal in the proposed $12.5B Mark Walter sale. Under the change, a firm that invests alongside an executive in one team reportedly cannot hold interest in another NBA franchise.
The deal still needs Board of Governors approval (23 of 30). Earlier Sports Business Journal / LA Times sourcing said Sept. 14–15 BOG meetings were not expected to take a floor vote. Jeanie Buss remains governor pending the family-stake fight; LA Superior Court hearing remains Dec. 8.
Separately, WSJ (Toonkel/Maurer, Sept. 18) reviewed a Thrive Capital investor pitch projecting the franchise toward a ~$30B valuation over a decade and revenue more than doubling to at least $1.6B—aggressive projections in a fundraising deck, not a league or team forecast.
Treat the Florida class-action annuity suit against Walter’s insurance side (Lakers not defendants) as allegations still; no new court ruling overnight.
Bloomberg (Williams) · Private Equity Wire · WSJ (Toonkel/Maurer) · Lakers Nation (BOG timing)
Camp roster: Watson out; Johnson and Ross in on Exhibit 10
Days after the Anton Watson Exhibit 10 signing covered in the Sept. 18 issue, the Lakers flipped the edge of camp. Lakers Nation / SI / Roundtable: L.A. signed guards Meechie Johnson (South Carolina) and Chase Ross (Marquette) to Exhibit 10 deals and waived Watson.
Both newcomers are undrafted rookies who appeared in Summer League. Exhibit 10 remains a camp/preseason evaluation tool that can convert or pair with G League time (Coachella Valley). L.A. can still carry up to 21 in camp before cutting to the 15-man regular-season limit.
Lakers Nation (Starkand) · SI (Ward) · Roundtable
Watch next
- Confirm Luka on the ground in L.A. and any official medical/availability notes before media day.
- Media day Sept. 28 · camp Sept. 29 · preseason opener Oct. 5 at Sacramento · regular-season opener Oct. 21 vs Golden State.
- Kushner/Iger sale: BOG committee vs floor vote timing; Heat equity clear if still required.
- Thrive Eternal LP raise and PE-policy implementation details (Bloomberg sourcing).
- Camp roster fill to 21, then cut/trade to 15.
- Florida annuity class action and federal probes vs Walter’s insurance side (allegations until proven); Lakers not defendants.
- Dec. 8 LA Superior Court hearing on the Buss family-stake petition.