Lamar Odom picked a good night to be in the building. The former Lakers icon pulled up to the Summer League semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday, sitting courtside as Los Angeles took on Golden State. It wasn’t just a casual appearance either. Odom has been around the NBA circuit all summer, dropping stories and staying connected to the game that made him a household name.
And the guy still bleeds purple and gold. That much was obvious.
Odom spent seven seasons with the Lakers from 2004 to 2011, playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol as the third piece of two championship teams. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 2011 and was never quite the same after the team traded him to Dallas. But time heals a lot of wounds, and Odom seems genuinely happy to be back around the organization these days.
The Lakers lost 92-88, by the way. Not that Odom probably cared that much about the final score.
How the Lakers’ Summer League roster actually looked
Los Angeles led 66-63 going into the fourth quarter. Then Golden State decided to play defense and outscored them 29-22 in the final frame. It was a back-and-forth game for three quarters, but the Lakers just couldn’t close it out.
Adou Thiero was the best player on the floor for L.A. He finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals on a perfect shooting night — 6-of-6 from the field, including a made three and three free throws. Cameron Carr chipped in 17 points, and Arthur Kaluma added 12 points and four boards. Chris Manon and Jon Elmore each scored 10.
That’s five guys in double figures. Not bad. Not enough.
What this Summer League run means for the real Lakers
The actual Lakers are already looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, which is going to be interesting. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are the headliners, but the front office made some moves this offseason. Walker Kessler is in the mix now. So are Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashveli.
That’s a different-looking roster than what we saw last year. Kessler gives them a real rim protector. Sexton provides scoring off the bench. Grimes is a solid two-way guard. And Mamukelashveli is one of those guys who does a little bit of everything and somehow ends up being useful in playoff minutes.
Summer League doesn’t tell you much about how the regular season will go. But having Odom in the building is a nice reminder of what this franchise has been and what it’s trying to get back to. The man has two rings and a Sixth Man trophy. He knows winning when he sees it.
The Lakers just didn’t do enough of it on Saturday night.
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