Lakers’ Preseason Revealed Encouraging Signs and Reasons for Concern

The NBA preseason has come and gone, and soon the real season will begin.

The 2026-27 NBA regular season is only a few days away, and soon the Los Angeles Lakers will embark on their quest for their 18th title in franchise history.

The Lakers may not be favorites to deliver a title to Los Angeles this season, but the team has full confidence that they have the pieces to get the job done.

The Lakers gave us our first look at their revamped roster, and while there were plenty of encouraging signs, there were also some glaring issues and moments they'd rather forget.

With the regular season in sight, we are focusing on the good, the bad and the ugly from the preseason before we officially turn the page. 

Let's start with the good. 

THE GOOD

Ziaire Williams Emerged as a Legitimate Starting Candidate

The addition of Williams could be looked at as even more of a bargain than it already is. 

Williams joined the Lakers on a one-year, $2.8 million contract and was stellar when he appeared in the preseason. 

The 25-year-old made only two preseason appearances; however, when he played, he looked great. Williams averaged 13.5 points per game, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists while shooting 81.8 percent from the field and 100 percent from three. 

The shooting numbers are not sustainable at all; however, the small sample we got on Williams was plenty to get excited about. 

If Williams continues to knock down shots and be a positive on the defensive side of the ball, this could be the biggest steal of the offseason for the Lakers.

Sandro Mamukelashvili Showcased All-Around Offensive Skill Set.

The star of the show in the preseason. 

Mamukelashvili showcased his all-around skill set, averaging 13.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 55.6% from the field and 54.2% from three-point range across the preseason.

His all-around offensive skill stood out. Mamukelashvili showed why the Lakers brought him in: he can push the ball in transition, shoot and create for teammates. 

The Lakers can benefit from complementary players who can do more than stand in the corner, rather than relying on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. 

Mamukelashvili showed he can do that and, more importantly, fit with Doncic and Reaves. 

THE BAD

Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves & Walker Kessler Played Just One Half Together

As I noted in my preseason finale takeaways, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler played just 13 minutes together across five preseason games.

That's far from ideal for a team built around three key players, especially one with so many new pieces. While Doncic and Reaves have already shown they can thrive together offensively, Kessler still needs time to build chemistry with both guards. 

The trio must learn each other's tendencies, develop better timing and figure out how to maximize their strengths together.

Ideally, that process would have started in the preseason. Instead, the Lakers will have to work through those growing pains during the regular season, with little time to waste as they look to get their new-look roster on the same page.

That could cost the Lakers some games early in the season, even with a relatively "easy schedule" to start. 

Lakers ' Turnover Problems Exposed Lack of Ball-Handling Depth

The Lakers averaged 23 turnovers per game during the preseason. 

Yes, some of it was without Doncic in the lineup; however, that is still a ridiculously high number of turnovers. 

The Lakers' offense is built around Doncic and Reaves, who have enormous responsibilities as creators. Los Angeles cannot afford to let every possession depend on those two to make something happen, especially when opposing defenses can pressure them and force the ball out of their hands. 

Collin Sexton missed all of the preseason with what JJ Redick called a 'lower-right-leg injury.' Sexton's addition to the lineup certainly could have helped. 

THE UGLY

Preseason Approach Left Lakers Looking Underprepared for Opener

This one sort of coincides with the lack of minutes and time Kessler, Doncic and Reaves spent together on the court this preseason. 

Overall, the Lakers' approach could hurt the team at the start of the season. The only time we saw the Lakers close to full strength was in the preseason finale.

The Lakers and Redick's decision to prioritize rest and experimentation left the Lakers without enough continuity. It felt like Redick didn't care about the preseason, which was the wrong approach given that they have nine new players on the roster. 

Bronny James Struggled to Establish Himself as Reliable Reserve Guard

The 2026 preseason was far from an ideal one for James. 

He averaged just 2.2 points per game, shot 1-for-8 from beyond the arc and committed 12 turnovers. 

Redick said James wasn't at his best during the games but showed promise in practice. Expectations should remain modest, but the Lakers should still look for signs of improvement as the season progresses.

James has shown that throughout the years, but this season was without a doubt a disappointment.

The 22-year-old was given the opportunity to show that he could be trusted with more responsibility, but his decision-making and offensive struggles left that question unanswered. 

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