Lakers to Face Mavs in Las Vegas for Preseason as LeBron James, Luka Face AD, Flagg

The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks will have a marquee stage for their preseason game this fall.

The Lakers announced on Monday that the game will be played at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Oct. 15. It will be the first time former Mavs star Luka Doncic faces 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, as well as a meeting between former teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The Mavs shockingly traded Doncic to the Lakers midway through last season in exchange for a package headlined by Davis. While Dallas fell short of the playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament, the franchise's fortune turned around in a major way when it landed the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery.

The Mavs unsurprisingly used the No. 1 pick to select Flagg, who is projected to be a future superstar. He will immediately take up the mantle left by Doncic as Dallas' face of the franchise. The 18-year-old showed his immense potential during the Summer League in Las Vegas, including a 31-point performance before being shut down.

The Lakers also had a big offseason, signing former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to provide a much-needed center behind Doncic and James. The team also landed wing Jake LaRavia and 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.

It's clear that the Lakers and Mavs will be intertwined for years following the Doncic trade, and they will get their rivalry started in the preseason this year before battling it out for a spot in the playoffs during the 2025-26 campaign.