This week, we’ll be kicking off our season recap series with each player on the roster. To set things off right, and because everyone loves discussing player grades so much, let’s give some grades based on the season as a whole.
In many ways, this felt like multiple seasons packed into one. The Lakers not only endured being without LeBron James at the start of the season, but excelled. His return, and an injury to Austin Reaves, led to some growing pains in the ensuing months but the Lakers figured
everything out in March, leading to one of the best stretches of basketball the franchise has seen in multiple seasons.
The ending was bittersweet as a shorthanded team did all they could in the postseason before succumbing to the defending champions in the second round. It was a season full of brilliance, surprises and disappointments.
So, let’s look back on the season. Similar to the regular season version, grades will be based on the player’s expectations coming into the year. A “B” grade represents the average performance, or meeting expectations, for that player.
Luka Dončić
64 games, 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 4 turnovers, 47.6% FG, 36.6% 3PT, 78% FT
After his first season featured flashes of his MVP form, a refocused Luka came into this year and returned to his top form. He carried the Lakers through so many games this year and, once the team got right, looked like the league’s best in March.
Injuries were the only downside, but those are hard to avoid and hard to knock him for given how much he focused on his body in the offseason.
Grade: A+
Austin Reaves
51 games, 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks, 3 turnovers, 49% FG, 36% 3PT, 87.1% FT
Reaves’ constant ascension reached yet another level this season. We learned right away what kind of season he was going to have, as without Luka and LeBron, Austin showed he was up to the task of carrying a team.
Austin did well to ease many of the concerns about his viability alongside Luka. The biggest knock on him was how little the two shared the court. Hopefully, he spends the summer getting on the Luka plan for his body.
Grade: A
LeBron James
60 games, 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.6 blocks, 3 turnovers, 51.5% FG, 31.7% 3PT, 73.7% FT
It took a while for LeBron to get things going this season and find his groove. It was a new role with new expectations and LeBron had to adjust.
For portions of the season, it felt like the LeBron era in LA was going to come to an end. But his play in March changed the outlook on things and he showed in the playoffs that he can still carry a team when needed.
Grade: B+
Marcus Smart
62 games, 9.3 points, 2.8 assists, 3 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.4 blocks, 1.5 turnovers, 39.5% FG, 33.1% 3PT, 82.2% FT
After two injury-riddled seasons, Smart proved he could still be a reliable contributor on a contending team. When the team was at it’s best in March, Smart was a valuable member of the starting lineup, contributing on both ends of the court.
His ability and willingness to do the little things and the dirty work made him an important piece of the team and may have earned him a longer contract this summer.
Grade: B+
Rui Hachimura
68 games, 11.5 points, 2.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks, 0.6 turnovers, 51.4% FG, 44.3% 3PT, 69.4% FT
In the delineation between 82-game and 16-game players, Rui definitely falls closer to the latter side of that spectrum. The regular season was solid as he jumped between roles, including moving to the bench once everyone was healthy.
But his postseason performance certainly made up for however underwhelming his regular season was.
Grade: B
Deandre Ayton
72 games, 12.5 points, 8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 1 block, 1.2 turnovers, 67.1% FG, 64.5% 3PT
The Lakers signed Ayton with the hopes of him being a long-term solution to their center position.
He certainly was not that. In a different role than he’s had before in his career, Ayton’s production fluctuated throughout the year, including in the playoffs.
In the end, the only certainty about his season is he is not the long-term answer.
Grade: B-
Jake LaRavia
82 games, 8.2 points, 4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.1 turnovers, 45.9% FG, 32.1% 3PT, 76.3% FT
The only player to play more than 72 games, LaRavia featured in 82 games, indicating how important he was during the regular season as an innings eater.
His energy and length defensively were valuable, but his offensive shortcomings eventually made him unplayable when it mattered. Still, given how small his contract is, he still was productive this year.
Grade: B
Luke Kennard
32 games, 9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.9 turnovers, 52.7% FG, 44.8% 3PT, 91.2% FT
Considering who he was replacing, the bar was on the floor for Kennard to be an improvement at the trade deadline. He was every bit of that and then more, including having an out-of-body experience in the postseason to help the team win a series.
Grade: A
Jaxson Hayes
66 games, 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.8 blocks, 0.5 turnovers, 75.6% FG, 65.3% FT
While it may have looked different in certain spots and at certain times, Hayes was ultimately still the same player he has always been. He had his most efficient season, but still was closer to unplayable than valuable in the playoffs.
Grade: B
Jarred Vanderbilt
65 games, 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks, 0.9 turnovers, 47.1% FG, 29.3% 3PT, 58.9% FT
All those videos of Vando shooting corner threes last summer amounted to yet another poor shooting season. Vando was on the edge of the rotation most of the season and often made the decision relatively easy with how ineffective he was offensively.
Grade: C
Nick Smith Jr.
30 games, 6.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1 assist, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.7 turnovers, 43.5% FG, 39.5% 3PT, 73.3% FT
After spending most of the season on a two-way deal, Smith Jr. signed a standard deal late in the season. After helping the Lakers to a huge win in Portland early in the year, it was a relatively uneventful season with the parent Lakers.
Grade: B
Maxi Kleber
43 games, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 0.4 turnovers, 45.2% FG, 23.1% 3PT, 53.8% FT
Whatever ideas there were of Kleber being a useful on-court option this season were extinguished. In spurts, he was valuable and was a notable contributor in a couple of wins. But he was never able to string together a run of games.
Grade: C
Dalton Knecht
54 games, 4.2 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.2 blocks, 0.4 turnovers, 45.5% FG, 34.2% 3PT, 72.7% FT
It’s incredible how far Knecht has fallen. After a rough summer, Knecht did not bounce back and Redick stopped giving him chances. And rightfully so. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this was his last year in LA.
Grade: F
Bronny James
42 games, 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.6 turnovers, 40.9% FG, 38.6% 3PT, 85.7% FT
Imagine telling someone in November of 2024, as Knecht was leading the Lakers to wins that, by the postseason in 2026, Bronny would be the rookie getting playoff minutes. It’s a testament to the work he’s done, mostly in the G League.
Grade: B+
Adou Thiero
25 games, 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.4 turnovers, 51.6% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 63.6% FT
Injuries largely upended Thiero’s rookie season. He got a late start to the campaign due to injury, then suffered another one midseason that lingered.
Still, he was able to show flashes of what he could be, including in the playoffs.
Grade: C-
Drew Timme, Chris Mañon
The pair of two-way players at season’s end had different kinds of seasons. Drew Timme briefly became a rotation player and had a case for the final standard contract at season’s end. Mañon, meanwhile, made next to no impact on the parent team.
JJ Redick
Redick’s 50-win rookie season felt hollow after a terrible showing in the playoffs. He cleared the 50-win benchmark again this season and followed it up with a much more encouraging postseason showing.
He again navigated injuries and kept adapting admirably to the circumstances. It looks set to be a fruitful future with Redick and Luka at the helm.
Grade: A
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
