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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 25: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts for a Los Angeles Clippers foul during the first half at Crypto.com Arena on November 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers made big changes in the 2026 NBA offseason, and while that was highlighted by the departure of LeBron James, the front office made an effort to put a drastically new-look roster around franchise stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Despite losing James and several other top contributors from last season, the Lakers overhauled half of their roster, leaving only a few rotational players on the team from last season.
One of those names is Reaves, who signed a four-year, $185 million contract extension over the offseason. The 28-year-old is now the longest-tenured player on the Lakers, and with that, questions arise about how a team with so little playing experience together can compete for a championship.
Austin Reaves Is Longest-Tenured Player
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 27: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on March 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Tyler Watts laid out the years of experience playing in Los Angeles for every current member of the Lakers’ roster.
Atop that list was Reaves, who is entering his sixth season in the Purple and Gold. Behind him is Jarred Vanderbilt, who, despite the team attempting to trade him, will be playing his fifth season with the Lakers in 2026-27.
“With LeBron’s departure, Austin Reaves became the longest-tenured Laker. He signed as an undrafted rookie in 2021 and just got a massive extension. Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt are the only two players on LA’s roster to have been with the team for more than two years,” Watts wrote.
After those two, Doncic, Dalton Knecht, and Bronny James are all entering their third season in Los Angeles.
While Doncic is obviously the star of the show, both Knecht and James share an uncertain future with the Lakers. Neither has been a consistent contributor in head coach JJ Redick’s lineup, and the fact that those two are tied for the third-longest-tenured players on the team isn’t the best sign as it relates to the team’s continuity.
Behind them on the list are Adou Thiero and Jake LaRavia. The former played sparingly in his rookie season, while LaRavia carved out a decent role on the team last year.
After that, every other single player on the Lakers’ roster is entering their first season with the team. That group includes Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, and rookie Cameron Carr.
Los Angeles brought in nine players through either a trade or free agency, meaning more than half of the roster hasn’t shared time on the court together, let alone played for Los Angeles.
Impact On Lakers Title Odds
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with teammates after making a three pointer in the fourth quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
With Reaves the longest-tenured player on the team, the question remains whether a new squad like this can actually compete for a title.
But looking at recent history, the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder each took a few years for the core to come together to reach the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics had a juggernaut roster that got to the mountaintop pretty easily, one that dwarfs what the Lakers are working with right now.
The 2023 Denver Nuggets finally got over the hump with a core with a few years of experience together. The 2022 Golden State Warriors won with their same big-three core. The 2021 Milwaukee Bucks were also a proven team with stars playing together for multiple seasons.
The Lakers in 2020 and the Celtics in 2008 are the only two recent teams to win a championship in the first season of a fresh roster, but comparing the talent and preseason title odds on those teams to what Los Angeles is working with now likely isn’t fair, as each was projected to be a top contender, unlike this current team.
Still, as a whole, the list goes on with a similar trend, and that’s all to say that it usually takes a season or two for a core to come together. The Lakers lost several big contributors from last season, and though they brought in new talent, asking this roster to win a title is a more difficult task than if they already had a few seasons playing together under their belt.
The NBA is a tough place to play, and rarely does a roster full of new additions reach the NBA Finals, let alone with the title in their first season sharing the court.
The Lakers currently hold +3500 odds to win the 2027 NBA title according to DraftKings, the 12th best in the league and 5th best in the Western Conference.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski