The Lakers Are Coming to the Desert

The Coachella Valley is getting a professional basketball team. The Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday that they are relocating their NBA G League affiliate to Palm Desert, where it will play home games at Acrisure Arena beginning with the 2026-27 season. The team will be known as the Coachella Valley Lakers.

For locals, this means NBA-level developmental basketball, featuring some of the sport's rising stars, will be just down the street. The Lakers G League program has produced 38 players who went on to earn NBA call-ups, including current Lakers guard Austin Reaves. This past season, the team went 26-10 and held the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen called the move "an incredible opportunity," adding that the organization has had a presence in the region for decades, from Showtime-era training camps in the 1980s to more recent preseason games. "We are looking forward to extending that experience and becoming a staple for Coachella Valley sports and entertainment," Rosen said.

Season ticket deposits are open to the public today, starting at $100 per account. Learn more at coachellavalleylakers.com.