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Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton. These are the big names we know will be on the roster next year after a flurry of activity on Wednesday.
There's a lot to like about the new guys, starting with youth (Austin Reaves is now the oldest player on the team), offensive players who can put pressure on the rim, a defensive anchor in Kessler, multi-year contracts that can give the Lakers a little continuity going forward, and so on. There's stuff to worry about, most notably the lack of a wing defender (or really, wings at all). The Lakers gave up all their draft capital to get Kessler. They don't have a lot of defenders outside of him, and even guys like Grimes, who is a solid player on that end, isn't big enough to guard up with regularity.
So are they better than they were before?
Well, it depends on how you define better, and what else the Lakers might do over the course of the offseason (and into next year). Because remember, nobody thought they could get to the level of OKC or San Antonio in one transaction season.
So how much closer are they?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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"Are the Lakers Better With the Revamped Roster Than They Were Before?" is an episode of Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers. Runtime 25 min. Published July 2, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.