Did you know that the Lakers have a G League?
The Los Angeles Lakers are moving their NBA G League affiliate to the Greater Palm Springs region, where it will be rebranded as the Coachella Valley Lakers. Beginning in the 2026–27 season, the team will call Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert home — a modern 11,000-seat venue that already hosts the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League.
The Lakers have deep roots in the region. The legendary Showtime Lakers held training camps in the Coachella Valley during the 1980s, and the team has played preseason games there in more recent years. According to Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen, the move is a natural extension of that history — and an opportunity to become a genuine fixture in local sports and entertainment.
“Moving the Lakers G League team to the Coachella Valley is an incredible opportunity for the organization… We are looking forward to extending that experience and becoming a staple for Coachella Valley sports and entertainment,” said Lon Rosen, Lakers President of Business Operations.
The franchise has a proud track record of developing talent. Over the past two decades, the G League team has sent 60 players on 38 different call-ups to the NBA — including current Lakers guard Austin Reaves. Most recently, the team posted an impressive 26–10 regular-season record in 2025–26, finishing as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The team was founded in 2006 as the Los Angeles D-Fenders, initially playing at STAPLES Center before moving to the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. In 2017, the organization rebranded as the South Bay Lakers and moved to the UCLA Health Training Center — also in El Segundo. The Lakers were the first NBA team to own and operate their own G League affiliate.
Now, the franchise enters its next chapter. Season ticket deposits are open to the public starting at $100 per account — fully refundable at the time of seat selection — at coachellavalleylakers.com.
