32 Western Conference Titles

Lore & Background

The Lakers advanced to the 2025 NBA Cup knockout stage as the winner of West Group B, having finished the group stage with an undefeated 4–0 record. However, they were eliminated by the eventual Cup runners-up San Antonio Spurs in the quarterfinals. On March 31, the Lakers clinched the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and their second consecutive Pacific Division title following a win by the Orlando Magic over the Phoenix Suns. They also won 50 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2009–10 and 2010–11.

On April 9, the Lakers improved on their 50–32 record from the previous season with a win over the Golden State Warriors. For the second season in a row, the Lakers have home-court advantage in the first round. However, Luka Dončić sustained a left hamstring strain during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, sidelining him beginning on April 2. The Lakers finished the regular season with a 53–29 record, ranking fourth in the Western Conference.

They faced the Houston Rockets in the first round in a rematch of the 2020 Semifinals, in which the Lakers defeated the Rockets in five games en route to their 17th championship. Los Angeles defeated Houston in six games of the first round, but were later swept by the top-seeded (and defending NBA champion) Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals, ending their season. This was the last season for public address announcer Lawrence Tanter, who retired from the role, but stayed on as an adviser on the Lakers' game presentation.

This would also be the end of LeBron James's tenure with the Lakers, as he announced on social media that he would return for the 2026-27 NBA season but with a different team. Lastly, this was Mark Walter's and the TWG Global last season as owners of the team, as they were sold in August 2026 to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner.

Reader's Guide

Draft picks: The Lakers entered the draft with only one second-round selection. They traded their original first-round pick, along with a second-round pick acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers through separate transactions involving star players with the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz, respectively. Throughout the process, the Lakers retained their own second-round pick.