The Los Angeles Lakers may have been notoriously quiet thus far in free agency. But they have been one of the biggest winners of the 2024 NBA Draft, at least in the eyes of many, after drafting Dalton Knecht, the standout out of Tennessee, with the 17th overall pick and then selecting Bronny James, LeBron's firstborn son, with the 55th overall selection. Fans don't even have to wait too long before seeing Knecht and James don the Lakers jersey for the first time with the upcoming California Classic and the NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas.
The Lakers will play a total of three games in the California Classic, per Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet, beginning with a matchup against the Sacramento Kings on July 6 at 4:30 PM E.T. They will then finish off the competition with a contest against the Golden State Warriors on the 7th at 6:30 PM E.T. and a tussle against the Miami Heat on July 10 at 7 PM E.T.
After those games, the Lakers will be heading to Vegas for a matchup in the opening night of the NBA 2K25 Summer League against the Houston Rockets on July 12 at 7:30 PM E.T. And then on July 15, 17, and 18, the Lakers will be taking on the Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively. Should the Lakers be one of the top four teams in Vegas, they will be vying for the Summer League title on July 20 and 22.
The Lakers have also released their Summer League roster, which will be discussed below.
Bronny James and Dalton Knecht headline the Lakers' Summer League roster
The eyes of the Lakers fanbase will be directed towards their 2024 NBA Draft haul of Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, and deservedly so. Knecht captured the attention of the nation with how he filled the role of number one option at Tennessee, leading them all the way to the Elite Eight in a hard-fought loss against Zach Edey's Purdue.
Knecht averaged nearly 22 points per game last season despite being the main guy for the opposition to defend. Lakers fans will be on the lookout for how Knecht's game is going to translate against tougher opposition.
Meanwhile, Bronny James did not have a good freshman season at USC after a life-threatening bout against cardiac arrest. James profiles as a defense-first guard with some floor-spacing potential. Will he look as unprepared for the next level as he did with USC when he suits up for the Lakers during Summer League?
Two members of the 2023-24 roster, Maxwell Lewis and Colin Castleton, will be looking to show the Lakers that they are worthy of a bigger role on the roster for the upcoming season. Lewis was drafted 40th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft; all he did in his rookie season was to play garbage-time minutes. Touted for his 3-and-D potential, will Lewis make some strides in his development during Summer League?
Castleton, an undrafted center out of Florida, was an impressive shot-blocker out of college; he needs to show major improvements in his defensive instincts and positioning if he were to threaten for a roster spot.
Rounding out the Lakers' Summer League roster are Mohamed Diarra, Sean East II, Blake Hinson, Tommy Kuhse, Kyle Mangas, Grayson Murphy, Quincy Olivari, Armel Traore, and Vincent Valerio-Bodon. Could any of these players be the next Austin Reaves? Only time will tell.
How did the Purple and Gold fare during last year's Summer League?
Suffice to say, the Lakers don't exactly have the deepest, most talented group of youngsters, as evidenced by their performances in recent Summer Leagues. Last year, the Lakers went winless in the California Classic, although Max Christie showed that he was their best prospect during those two games. Christie was rewarded by the Lakers with a four-year, $32 million contract, which is a huge success story for a former second-round pick.
In Vegas, the Lakers bounced back to win their first two games against the Golden State Warriors and the Charlotte Hornets. But things went off the rails quickly for the Lakers; after a close loss to sworn rival Boston Celtics, they suffered a 100-69 demolition at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies. At the very least, the Lakers ended their 2023 Summer League run on a high by taking a 104-103 win over another sworn rival of theirs, the Los Angeles Clippers.
This year, it will be tough for the Lakers to crack the top four in Vegas; they will be facing a Hawks team with Zaccharie Risacher and Kobe Bufkin, and the reigning Vegas champion Cavs. But winning isn't the be-all, end-all during summer, with the development of youngsters being the most crucial part of this entire competition.