Luka Doncic Has No Restrictions and the Post-LeBron Lakers Are Built Around Him and Walker Kessler

The Los Angeles Lakers opened training camp Tuesday without LeBron James for the first time since 2018, and the roster looks completely different. Luka Dončić said at Monday's media day that he will enter camp without restrictions after the hamstring injury that ended his season in April. Walker Kessler, acquired from Utah this summer, has been fully cleared after shoulder surgery. For fantasy managers, this is now Dončić's team in every way.

How the roster changed

James signed with Philadelphia in July, joining a 76ers team that also added Jaylen Brown. The Lakers responded by rebuilding the frontcourt and adding shooting around Dončić and Austin Reaves.

The biggest move was a sign-and-trade for Kessler, the restricted free agent center, that cost the Lakers two first-round picks and two first-round swaps. Kessler signed a four-year, $130 million deal. To create room, Los Angeles traded Deandre Ayton to Washington for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks.

The Lakers also signed guards Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million) and Collin Sexton, and center Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million). It is a deeper roster than last season's, but one with fewer established stars.

Luka Dončić: a usage monster again

Dončić's hamstring kept him out at the end of last season, and his health is the only real question in his fantasy profile. He says he feels rested and ready. Without James, the Lakers offense runs through him on nearly every possession.

That matters for fantasy. When Dončić has been the only star on a roster, his usage rate has been among the highest in the league, and his points, rebounds and assists have all gone up. He is a top-three pick in points leagues and a first-round pick in category leagues, with the usual caveats about turnovers and free throw percentage.

The risk is durability. Dončić has missed time with lower-body injuries in each of the last few seasons. Managers who draft him should plan for 65 to 70 games rather than a full season.

Austin Reaves: the second option

Reaves said at media day that he had a strong offseason and is in a great spot. With James gone, he becomes the clear second option and the primary ball-handler when Dončić sits.

Reaves' fantasy value has climbed each season, and this is the best situation he has been in. He should see more shots and more assists than last season, and his efficiency from three and at the line gives him a well-rounded category profile. He belongs in the fourth or fifth round of category drafts, with upside to return more.

Walker Kessler: the category specialist

Kessler is one of the best shot-blockers in the league, and his profile fits category leagues perfectly. When healthy in Utah, he posted elite block and rebound numbers with a high field goal percentage. The shoulder surgery that ended his season last November is behind him, and Lakers president Rob Pelinka said at media day that Kessler is fully healthy and cleared for all basketball activity.

Kessler will not score much. He does not need to. Playing next to Dončić, he should get easy looks at the rim from lobs and dump-offs, which keeps his field goal percentage high. His free throw shooting is the weakness, so he fits best on teams that are punting that category.

He is a mid-round pick in category leagues and a later-round pick in points leagues. Mamukelashvili will back him up and could have some value in deep leagues as a stretch big.

Other fantasy notes

Quentin Grimes is a deep-league option. He is a good perimeter defender and a capable shooter, and he could start at the wing. His value depends on how many minutes the Lakers give him in a crowded backcourt.

Collin Sexton is a scoring guard off the bench. He will have games where he scores 20 or more, but his minutes are uncertain with Dončić, Reaves and Grimes ahead of him.

Jaden Hardy is unlikely to have fantasy value unless injuries hit the guard rotation.

The betting angle

The Lakers enter the season as a team in transition. Dončić and Reaves give them a high-end backcourt, but the rest of the roster is new, and chemistry takes time in the Western Conference. If Dončić stays healthy, the Lakers have the talent to outperform expectations. If he misses significant time, the drop-off is steep.

Verdexed will publish its NBA model picks when the regular season begins. The full board will be on the NBA predictions page.

How JJ Redick is likely to use the roster

Head coach JJ Redick's offense last season leaned heavily on Dončić's pick-and-roll with a vertical threat at center. Kessler fits that system better than Ayton did because he is a more willing screener and roller, and his defense allows the Lakers to be more aggressive on the perimeter. Expect a lot of Dončić and Kessler pick-and-roll, with Reaves working off the ball and attacking closeouts.

That structure gives Kessler more offensive value than he had in Utah, where he was often a secondary option. Lobs from Dončić are some of the most efficient shots in basketball, and Kessler should see plenty of them.

What it means

Draft Dončić confidently in the first round. Reaves is a strong mid-round pick who should post career highs. Kessler is a category specialist for blocks, rebounds and field goal percentage. The Lakers are a different team without James, and the fantasy value is concentrated in the three players they built around.