The Lakers will roll out a youthful roster this year, including a core filled with under-24-year-olds like Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram. However, the youngsters and new head coach Luke Walton, 36, will not have a kid-friendly slate awaiting them once the 2016-17 season tips off.
Los Angeles opens up by hosting the Houston Rockets, whose explosive offense will now be operated by scoring savant and former Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni. After that will be a road trip against four teams that all have aspirations to contend come playoff time: Utah, Oklahoma City, Indiana and Atlanta.
Coming home to Staples Center won’t make it much easier, as the first game back will be against a Golden State studded by four All-NBA players. The Lakers will surely get familiar with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and co. rather quickly, especially considering that they play the Warriors three times in November alone.
October/November
Games: 20
Home: 10
Away: 10
Playoff Opponents: 11
National TV Games: 3
Home Opponents: Houston, Golden State (twice), Phoenix, Dallas, Brooklyn, San Antonio, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Atlanta
Road Destinations: Utah, Oklahoma City, Indiana, Atlanta, Sacramento, New Orleans (twice), Minnesota, Golden State, Chicago
Key Matchups
Oct. 26 vs. Houston (7:30 p.m.; ESPN)
The post-Kobe Bryant era officially begins on this night at Staples Center, as Ingram makes his NBA debut at the small forward spot that Bryant occupied last season. Though it has yet to be determined whether Ingram or incoming veteran Luol Deng will start at the three, the city’s attention will definitely be on the young guys, as the Lakers look to upend James Harden’s crew on opening night.
Nov. 4 vs. Golden State (7:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/ESPN)
Walton will get his first chance at handing a loss to the team that he guided to 39 wins in 43 games as interim coach last season. With Walton returning to his role as an assistant, Golden State went on to finish with the best regular-season record in NBA history (73-9) and has since added Durant in the offseason. Over that past three years, Curry, Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have combined for nine All-Star selections and three MVP trophies.
Nov. 10 at Sacramento (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
Since 1988, the Lakers have traveled to the state capital to face their Pacific Division foe at the stadium now known as Sleep Train Arena. The site of several playoff series — including the epic 2002 Western Conference Finals — a fierce rivalry was developed there in the early 2000s, as each of L.A.’s three-peat titles came after eliminating Sacramento in the postseason. Now, the Kings will host the purple and gold in a new arena, as this will be their first season playing at Golden 1 Center. A national TV audience will be tuned in as the teams face off in the fourth game of the building’s infancy.