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Lakers Opening Day Schedule Release Breaks 8-Year Tradition After LeBron Exit
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Heavy Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers are not playing on the opening day of the 2026-27 NBA season for the first time in eight years.
Lakers Schedule Release Comes With LeBron James -Related SurpriseIn the Lakers’ first season in eight years without James after his blockbuster free agency move to the Philadelphia 76ers, the team will no longer highlight the first day of the 2026-27 NBA season.
Instead, the league chose to continue to showcase James on his new team, and a few other high-level franchises on opening night.
This is the first time the Lakers won’t play on the NBA’s opening night since the 2018-19 season.
Here’s the full NBA Christmas Day schedule, highlighted by James’ return to Los Angeles after his departure this summer.