Top 5 takeaways from the Los Angeles Lakers 2025 Media Day – NBC Los Angeles

Media day for the Los Angeles Lakers has always been part introduction, part performance, and part crystal ball. Cameras flash, microphones swarm, and fans lean in to hear the first words that will shape the coming season. But on Monday, Sept. 29, inside the UCLA Health Training Facility in El Segundo, the event carried a heavier weight than years past.

This wasn’t just another season launch. This was about LeBron James’ uncertain farewell, Luka Dončić’s transformation into the Lakers’ newest superstar, and a supporting cast eager to prove they belong on basketball’s brightest stage. Out of the many soundbites and storylines, five takeaways stood above the rest.

1. LeBron James Confronts the Twilight of His Career

At 40 years old and entering his 23rd NBA season—the longest career in league history—LeBron James still commands the spotlight. But for the first time, he openly admitted the end is near.

“I don’t know when the end is, but I know it’s a lot sooner than later,” James confessed, his words carrying the kind of pause that makes you stop and listen. He chose to pick up his $52.6 million player option this summer, ensuring one more ride with the Lakers, but beyond that? The future is a mystery.

James dismissed the notion that Luka Dončić’s arrival influences his retirement timeline. “Zero,” he said with a smirk. Yet there’s no denying that LeBron’s partnership with Luka, a passing of the torch in purple and gold, will define the story of this season.

2. Luka Dončić Arrives as the Lakers’ New Leader

If media day felt like a coronation, Luka Dončić wore the crown. Leaner, quicker, and brimming with confidence after a dominant EuroBasket run with Slovenia, he walked in looking like a man ready to redefine his NBA chapter.

“I would just say way less tired,” Luka said of his offseason transformation. “Probably a little quicker because of that.”

Head coach JJ Redick praised his star’s commitment, noting that conditioning is no longer Luka’s weakness but his weapon. A rested Dončić doesn’t just score—he defends, he leads, he sustains. In Los Angeles, Luka isn’t just the future; he’s the present.

3. Austin Reaves Bets on Himself

Media day also revealed a side of Austin Reaves that Lakers fans have come to admire: loyalty mixed with quiet confidence. The 26-year-old guard turned down a four-year, $89.2 million extension, a decision that speaks volumes.

“It’s super hard,” Reaves admitted. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be in L.A. I want to be in L.A. for my whole career.”

This is a bet on himself, a challenge to prove his worth in a contract year. Reaves has evolved from undrafted underdog to indispensable role player. Now, he’s chasing something greater—both in salary and legacy—while reinforcing his desire to remain a lifelong Laker.

4. DeAndre Ayton Embraces His Biggest Stage Yet

DeAndre Ayton has been called enigmatic, talented, inconsistent. In Los Angeles, he has the chance to change the narrative.

“This is the biggest opportunity of my career,” Ayton said. And he’s right. At 7 feet tall, with soft hands and natural touch, Ayton adds an interior presence the Lakers desperately need. His 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season in Portland only scratch the surface of his potential impact alongside Dončić and James.

Pick-and-rolls, rim protection, second-chance points—Ayton’s fingerprints could be all over the Lakers’ title chase if he fully embraces this role.

5. Marcus Smart Sets the Defensive Tone

When the Lakers acquired Marcus Smart, they weren’t just adding a defender. They were importing an identity.

“That’s what I came to do, that’s why Luka called me, that’s what JJ wants,” Smart explained, his voice carrying conviction. The former Defensive Player of the Year averaged nearly two steals per game last season, but his value goes beyond numbers.

Smart is the glue—the communicator, the tone-setter, the one who drags teammates into the trenches with him. Combined with Ayton’s size and Luka’s renewed stamina, Smart’s defensive edge could be the piece that turns the Lakers from talented to terrifying.