The Los Angeles Lakers begin their season on Wednesday night when they host the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena. The game tips off at 10:00 PM ET and will air on ESPN.

The Lakers finished as the fourth seed last season, defeating the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder. They made big changes to the roster in the offseason, losing LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Luke Kennard. The team brought in Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Ziaire Williams as new pieces to the puzzle.

The Warriors missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, failing to get out of the Play-In tournament, but return with Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

Lakers big man Walker Kessler is AVAILABLE with a left finger splint. He played in two preseason games after missing the majority of last season following shoulder surgery. He will start at center.

Collin Sexton is QUESTIONABLE with a right soleus strain. He did not play in any of the preseason games.

Adou Thiero is OUT with left knee effusion and swelling. He averaged 5.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in three preseason games.

Rookie Cameron Carr, who was drafted in the first round by the Lakers, is also OUT with a right oblique strain. He averaged 12 points, 2 steals, 1.5 rebounds, and 1 assist in two preseason games.

Luka Doncic will play his first regular season or playoff game since April 2, when he suffered a hamstring strain that ruled him out for the rest of the 2025-26 regular season and playoffs.

Steph Curry is PROBABLE for the Warriors with right ankle soreness. He tweaked his ankle during practice over the weekend, but was said to be fine shortly after.

Charles Bassey is QUESTIONABLE with right patellar tendinopathy. He averaged 5.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in five preseason contests.

Brandin Podziemski, who just signed a big contract extension with the team, is OUT with bilateral low back soreness after playing in all five preseason games and averaging 14.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and shooting 39.3% from 3-point range.

Jimmy Butler remains OUT after undergoing right ACL surgery in January.

Moses Moody also remains OUT after undergoing left patellar tendon surgery in March.

Kristaps Porzingis is OUT as he is not with the team.