With the 2025-26 NBA season fast approaching, teams are locking in their preseason schedules. Most squads play five or six warm-up games, though the league requires at least four. The Los Angeles Lakers will take the floor for four preseason matchups of their own. While the ongoing LeBron James saga continues fueling postseason drama and fan speculation, the Lakers’ 2025 preseason schedule has officially dropped, and fans are already buzzing for opening tip-off.
When does the Lakers’ 2025-26 preseason schedule begin and end?
For the tip-off, the Los Angeles Lakers are heading back to familiar desert ground. They’ll open their 2025-26 preseason against the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs on Friday, October 3. But this game isn’t just another date on the calendar. It’s a return to basketball roots for one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. Coachella Valley once hosted Lakers training camps during the fabled Showtime era, when Magic Johnson and Kareem used to rule the league.
And the tradition has quietly resurfaced in recent years. As this will be the Lakers’ third consecutive preseason appearance in the valley, following back-to-back sellouts in 2023 and 2024. Fans in Palm Springs have enjoyed these games like annual festivals, creating a playoff-like energy long before the regular season.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates his game winning shot against the Indiana Pacers with teammates at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
As expected, this matchup will be another heavyweight showdown between two Western Conference giants. But this is just the opening act. The Lakers’ 2025 preseason slate stretches over a tightly packed two-week window from October 3 to October 17. It’s a chance for fans to get early glimpses of the retooled roster, new lineups, and potential breakout performers.
Every preseason game carries weight, especially with the LeBron James drama hovering in the background. Sadly, the curtain drops on October 17, when the Lakers host the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. That final matchup will set the tone for what’s expected to be a turbulent, high-stakes regular season.
What are the confirmed home games, dates, and venues for the Lakers’ 2025-26 preseason?
Fans won’t have to wait long to catch the new-look Lakers in action this preseason. The team will host four opponents across three cities between October 3 and October 17. As you already know, the preseason action tips off October 3 in Greater Palm Springs at Acrisure Arena, where the Lakers face the Phoenix Suns. It’s a desert clash loaded with history, but this year’s spotlight belongs to LeBron James. He’ll be tasked with slowing down Devin Booker’s relentless scoring burst in the fast-paced opener.
And then after a 10-day break, the Lakers return home on October 12 to Crypto.com Arena. That night, the challenge gets even tougher. Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors arrive with their barrage of threes, forcing the Lakers to tighten their perimeter defense fast. Again, after a quick two-day reset, the Lakers will head to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for a showdown with the Dallas Mavericks. If LeBron James remains in Los Angeles, as postseason rumors swirl, expect fireworks.
But all eyes will be on a potential LeBron versus Klay Thompson clash, a fresh rivalry twist after Thompson’s Mavericks move. It’s easily one of the most anticipated matchups of the Lakers’ preseason stretch. Finally, on October 17, the Lakers close preseason at home, hosting longtime rivals, the Sacramento Kings, inside Crypto.com Arena. No preseason feels complete without rekindling that decades-old California tension. Isn’t it?
And just to fill you in, across these two weeks, the Lakers’ preseason slate spans three cities and reconnects with fan bases beyond Los Angeles.
Where and how can fans buy tickets for the Lakers’ 2025-26 preseason games?
Every preseason game feels special this year, especially for Lakers fans. And even more so for LeBron James loyalists. With rumors swirling about this possibly being his final season in purple and gold, fans won’t want to miss these last dances. Individual game tickets for the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason matchups in Greater Palm Springs and Las Vegas went on sale June 6. Seats for the October 15 showdown at T-Mobile Arena can be purchased at axs.com or directly at the T-Mobile Arena box office.
For the October 3 tip-off against the Suns in Coachella Valley, tickets are available through Ticketmaster or the Acrisure Arena Ticketmaster box office. Meanwhile, home fans will need a little more patience. Tickets for the October 12 and October 17 contests at Crypto.com Arena officially go on sale this August.
So if you’re hoping to catch what could be LeBron’s final preseason in a Lakers uniform, then you better lock those seats in early.
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