Luka Dončić and the new-look Lakers will receive an immediate test when Stephen Curry and the Warriors visit on opening night.
The Los Angeles Lakers will open the 2026-27 regular season against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Crypto.com Arena.
The matchup will begin at 7 p.m. PT and air nationally on ESPN as the second game of an Opening Week doubleheader. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat will face LaMelo Ball and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first game.
It's a familiar opening-week assignment for two of the NBA’s most prominent franchises, but the Lakers will enter this meeting with a dramatically different roster.
Lakers begin a new era
LeBron James’ departure for the Philadelphia 76ers officially made this Luka Dončić’s team and with that, the NBA revealed he will be returning to L.A. for a Christmas Day matchup.
The Lakers responded by rebuilding the roster around their star guard, retaining Austin Reaves on a four-year, $185 million contract and acquiring center Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz.
L.A. also added Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and Jaden Hardy via trade during one of the league’s busiest offseasons.
Feb 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Dončić (77) dribbles upcourt against the Golden StateWarriorsin the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn ImagesThe opener will offer the first real look at how those pieces fit around Dončić and Reaves. Grimes should provide perimeter defense and shooting, while Kessler gives L.A. the rim-running and shot-blocking center it lacked last season.
Health will also be a major storyline.
Dončić missed the end of the regular season and the Lakers’ entire second-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of a left hamstring strain. He has since told fans he is “100% healthy” entering the new season.
Curry presents an immediate challenge
Golden State provides an appropriate measuring stick for a Lakers roster attempting to establish itself as a contender without James.
Feb 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Dončić (77) smiles during a break in the action against the Golden State Warriors in the third period at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn ImagesCurry remains one of the league’s most dangerous offensive players and will immediately test the Lakers’ reworked perimeter defense.
L.A. added Grimes and Thybulle partly to improve its ability to defend elite guards, and few assignments are more difficult than chasing Curry through screens for four quarters.
The game also carries additional intrigue because of the familiarity between the two sides. Dončić has faced Golden State in the postseason, while Reaves delivered several important performances against the Warriors during the Lakers’ 2023 playoff run.
Looney will also face the franchise with which he won three championships. After playing only 21 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, the veteran center joined the Lakers on a one-year deal to provide rebounding, experience and insurance behind Kessler.
One game will not determine whether L.A.’s sweeping roster changes worked, but opening against Curry and the Warriors should provide an immediate indication of how prepared the Lakers are for their new chapter.
