Lakers-Suns
A new era begins for the Lakers without LeBron James.
The 2026–27 Los Angeles Lakers season will be the 80th season of the franchise, its 79th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), its 67th season in Los Angeles, and its 28th season playing home games at Crypto.com Arena. This will be the first season since 2017–18 to not feature LeBron James, who announced that he would no longer be playing for the Lakers for his 24th season; he would later sign with the Philadelphia 76ers.
- First Major Playoff Meeting
- 1976 Western Conference Semifinals
- Key Era of Conflict
- 1980s Showtime vs. Run TMC/Early Suns
- Defining Rivalry Period
- 2005-2010 (Kobe/Shaq vs. Nash)
- Notable Series Outcome
- Lakers won 2006 Western Conference Semifinals in 7 games
- Stadiums of Battle
- Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) & Footprint Center (formerly US Airways/Amway Center)
Lore & Background
The Lakers entered the draft holding one first-round selection. They have previously traded their second-round selection to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2020 and the pick was eventually used by the Golden State Warriors in the draft.
In Their Own Story
The air inside the arena hung heavy with humidity and a tension that felt thicker than any championship decider. With the clock bleeding down in the final minute of a tie game, the stakes were existential. The Lakers moved with the cold, practiced precision of a machine built for glory in purple and gold; opposite them, the Suns blurred into a chaotic, electric storm of orange and black. A Suns guard surged toward the lane, but a Lakers defender materialized from the shadows, altering the shot just enough to send it clanging violently off the iron. The rebound was swallowed by a veteran in purple who launched a laser downcourt. In that suspended second before the buzzer, silence reigned absolute—a quiet moment where every possession felt less like basketball and more like a brutal war for Western Conference territory.
Reader's Guide
The Lakers' season includes preseason, regular season, and NBA Cup West Group C games. Transactions include trades, free agency, re-signed players, additions, and subtractions.
Did You Know?
- The 2026–27 season is the Lakers' 80th franchise season.
- LeBron James will not play for the Lakers this season, having signed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
More in Great Rivalries & Feuds
Elsewhere in the Los Angeles Lakers universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record