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Heading into the 2026-27 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers will look drastically different on the basketball floor, with the team undergoing a roster overhaul this summer to close the door on LeBron James’ time with the storied franchise and officially kick off the Luka Doncic era.
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Along with James leaving the team this summer, several important players from last year’s team have also headed elsewhere, like Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes.
Despite all the departures, the Lakers were able to bring in some notable players in free agency, like veteran guard Collin Sexton.
Collin Sexton Wants to Follow in Marcus Smart’s Footsteps for Success With Lakers
During his first media availability with the Lakers, Sexton talked about watching film of Marcus Smart and wanting to replicate his mindset, a mindset that made Smart a one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, via Lakers Nation.
“I watched a lot of him over the years, but also I would just say his mindset,” Sexton said. “How can I be in the right spot? How can I make plays? Like you said, I’m always scoring, but how can I make plays on the defensive end? How can I get the one more or the hockey assist? Those little things.”
Sexton also wants to take a page from the book of another former Lakers player who excelled on the defensive end of the floor, Avery Bradley.
“And also, I watched a little bit of Avery Bradley as well,” Sexton said. “How he was able to change the pace on defense, and that was a while ago. But just watching him and his competitive nature, that’s my guy, so I was like, you know what? How did he impact winning when he was here? And I feel like those two guys, I’ve been able to really lock in on because I feel like I can bring that to this team.”
It will be no easy task for Sexton to emulate Smart and Bradley during his first season with the Lakers, as they were some gritty defenders in Los Angeles.
JJ Redick & Rob Pelinka Stressed ‘Toughness’ in Vision for New-Look Lakers
The veteran guard also revealed what head coach JJ Redick and longtime general manager Rob Pelinka told him about their vision for the team over the next few years.
“I would say the toughness,” Sexton said. “They want to be able to compete in all aspects on the defensive side, but also on the offensive side. … So we talked, and it was really a conversation, and they believe in me. I just feel like at the end of the day, whenever a coach believes in you, like you said, he’s going to be hard on me and yell and scream at me. So I like that. I think that’s what gets the best from me.”
It won’t be easy for this revamped Lakers squad to achieve its goals heading into the 2026-27 campaign, as they’ll face tough competition in the Western Conference, spearheaded by the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, establishing a defensive identity and a potent offense will be key to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the West, and there’s a chance Sexton will help the team in its pursuit of accomplishing that goal next season and beyond.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/lakers/onsi as Lakers’ Collin Sexton Points to 2 Former Defensive Standouts as Inspiration.
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This story was originally published July 22, 2026 at 2:30 PM.