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Lakers Make First Announcement of 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 9:05 PM ET

The 2025 Finals are all the remains of the NBA's schedule, and for the Lakers, concern about that series faded away not long after their elimination from the playoffs back on April 30, almost five weeks ago now. After a promising regular season and hopes that they might be a true contender in the West this year, it took only five games for the Timberwolves to dispatch L.A.

You'll forgive the Lakers, then, if they're eager to file that memory away and look ahead to next year. Much figures to change in the coming weeks and months--the team will pick 55th in the draft, they hope to sign or trade for a big man, they will play in summer league--but for the Lakers, 2025-26 can't get here fast enough.

It'll be 93 days, in fact.

On Monday, the Lakers announced that they will begin their preseason schedule this year (the home portion, at least) on Oct. 3, 2025, with a home game against the Suns, though it won't be in L.A. It'll be in Palm Springs.

The team announced: "Preseason tips off for the Lakers Oct. 3 in Greater Palm Springs at Acrisure Arena when the team hosts the Phoenix Suns. The organization has a rich history in Coachella Valley, the former home of Lakers training camp in the Showtime era. In 2023, the Lakers returned to Coachella Valley after a 26-year hiatus, bringing the Purple and Gold back to the desert with a sold-out preseason showing."

They also announced Crypto.com dates with the Warriors (Oct. 12) and Kings (Oct. 17). There's a preseason game with Mavericks (Oct. 15), as well, which will be played in las Vegas.

The next NBA season is slated to tip off on Oct. 21, 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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