The Los Angeles Lakers announced their six-game 2022-23 preseason schedule on Wednesday.

The Lakers will begin their exhibition slate by hosting the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 3 at Crypto.com Arena. On Oct. 5 and 6, the Lakers will head to Las Vegas for a back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves at T-Mobile Arena. Los Angeles will then take on the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center on Oct. 9, host the T-Wolves back at Crypto on Oct. 12, then cap off their preseason with a visit to the Golden 1 Center to face the Kings again.

I would say the preseason doesn't matter, but a few ominous preseason struggles by recent Lakers squads proved to be foretelling. In 2011-12, the Kobe Bryant-Dwight Howard-Pau Gasol-Steve Nash team lost all seven exhibitions ahead of an infamously underwhelming 45-win campaign. Last season, the Lakers went winless in warm-up contests before their disastrous 33-49 regular season.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/61Ar04k91qqxag5lQwOEe3?si=ed5d91133a624f9b

The exhibitions will give Lakers fans their first look at new head coach Darvin Ham, as well as whatever his coaching staff and roster will look like. Of course, whether Russell Westbrook is wearing purple-and-gold on Oct. 3 is the most consequential question facing the franchise. It will mark the 20th preseason for LeBron James.

The NBA is expected to unveil the 2022-23 regular-season calendar at some point in July. The Lakers have not announced when training camp will begin.

Next up: the 2022 NBA Draft on June 23rd. The Lakers — who don't have a pick but have brought in a couple of dozen prospects for pre-draft workouts — are hoping to maneuver back into the second round.