A lot of assessments of the Lakers’ offseason roster moves were dished out over the summer.
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lot → dish → summer
After having multiple months to reflect, franchise superstar Luka Doncic provided his thoughts of the Lakers’ efforts to construct a team around him that they hope will contend for an NBA title.
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they → have → title
“I like everybody that we signed,” Doncic said during the team’s Monday media day.
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Doncic → like → day
“There’s a lot of underrated guys, a lot of new guys that are underrated.
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that → ’ → guys
Now the training camp is going to help us a lot, focus on basketball, get to know what they like on the court, but I’m very excited to play with all of them.”
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I → go → them
The Lakers enter the start of training camp on Tuesday with nine new players.
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Lakers → enter → players
But none of them are bigger – figuratively and literally – than Walker Kessler, the 7-foot-2 center the Lakers not only signed to a four-year, $130 million contract, but also sent the Jazz unprotected first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 to acquire.
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Lakers → sign → 2028
Doncic identified Kessler as a player he wanted the Lakers to acquire.
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Lakers → identify → player
And the franchise, led by president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka, got the type of big man rim-protecting, lob threat Doncic had been wanting to play alongside since coming to Los Angeles in February 2025.
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Doncic → lead → February
“I played a lot of games against Walker, so it was always tough to play against him,” Doncic said.
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Doncic → play → him
“I really wanted him.
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I → want → him
The organization wanted him, I wanted him, all the players wanted him, so I think it’s an amazing fit for us.
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it → want → us
Obviously a rim protector, but then offensively he improved so much that he’s going to help us a lot.”
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he → improve → us
Kessler found himself fitting in quickly.
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himself → find → ?
He recalled receiving his first lob from Doncic during the team’s Doncic-sponsored trip to Slovenia last month.
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He → recall → Slovenia
“I don’t even think he was looking at me, and he kind of just threw it and I was there,” Kessler said.
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Kessler → think → it
“I mean, I’ve heard a lot of people say that about playing with him.
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lot → mean → him
So caught it, dunked it, ran back down, high fived and I was like, ‘yup, I can get used to this’.”
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I → catch → this
The team also added: Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million) and Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million), Ziaire Williams (one year, $2.8 million) and Matisse Thybulle (one year, $3.3 million), Cameron Carr (first round draft pick), Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million) and Jaden Hardy (acquired from the Wizards).
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team → add → Wizards
Sexton agreed with Doncic’s assessment of the roster moves.
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Sexton → agree → moves
“We’re all underrated, if that makes [sense],” Sexton said.
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Sexton → ’re → sense
“We’re competitors.
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We → ’re → ?
I feel like we added people that are willing to compete, and we added guys that [don’t] back down to anyone.
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that → feel → anyone
I know for myself, I’m somebody that’s not gonna back down to any challenge or not gonna back down to anyone.
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that → know → anyone
“Whenever I step between those lines, there’s no friends.
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I → step → lines
It’s us versus them.
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It → ’ → them
So I know it can look like we’re underrated [at] times.”
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we → know → times
As significant as the Lakers’ additions were, none were more important than the Lakers re-signing star guard Austin Reaves to a four-year, $180 million contract.
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Lakers → re → contract
With LeBron James with the 76ers and no longer with the Lakers, Doncic and Reaves are stepping into more significant leadership roles.
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Doncic → step → roles
“He improved a lot,” Doncic said of Reaves.
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Doncic → improve → Reaves
“He just talks more to a lot of people.
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He → talk → people
Obviously the new players, they look up to him, asking things.
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they → look → things
So I think he [took] a big step forward.”
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he → think → step
The Aporia
