When the Los Angeles Lakers became the first NBA franchise to own and operate their own G League affiliate in 2012, they named it the Los Angeles D-Fenders, a name that implied defence first and foremost. Since that branding, the organisation has progressed significantly. On Thursday, the Lakers announced that their G League affiliate is leaving El Segundo and moving east to the desert for a fresh start under a new identity.

Starting with the 2026-27 season, the team will be renamed the Coachella Valley Lakers and play all home games at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. The South Bay Lakers name, the brand under which the affiliate has operated since 2017, disappears with the move. In its place, a partnership with Oak View Group that carries the full weight of the Lakers’ name into a new market. “I am beyond thrilled to have the Coachella Valley Lakers call OVG’s Acrisure Arena their home,” said Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff, citing his long-standing relationship with the Buss family and the organization’s leadership.

The move carries real organizational history with it. The Lakers have had a presence in the Coachella Valley stretching back to the Showtime era, when the franchise held training camp there in the 1980s, and the region has hosted Lakers preseason games in more recent years. Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen framed it as a natural extension of that legacy rather than a departure from it. “The Lakers have had a strong presence in the region for decades,” Rosen said. “Acrisure Arena is the perfect modern venue that provides an incredible fan-first experience, while ensuring players have the premium facilities and space they need on game day.”

The team being relocated is coming off one of its best seasons in recent memory. The South Bay Lakers finished 26-10 this past season, capturing the top seed in the Western Conference, with two-way big man Drew Timme earning All-G League Second Team honors. It is that same program, built around development and a direct pipeline to the main roster, that will now operate under the Coachella Valley banner.

The Roster That Made South Bay Worth Watching

The name that draws the most attention in any South Bay Lakers conversation this season is Bronny James. After being assigned to the affiliate earlier in the 2025-26 season, the 21-year-old guard announced himself emphatically in his South Bay debut, scoring 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting, dishing out a team-high eight assists, and adding four rebounds and three steals in a 115-95 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Coming off limited minutes and a quiet statistical year with the NBA roster, Bronny arrived at South Bay with a defined mindset. “The league is meant to develop players,” he said after his debut. “I’m coming down here with an open mind. I’m not going down here with a negative mindset like I’m being sent down to a lesser level. I’m just going down and I’m trying to better myself every game and every play.”

Rosen emphasised the affiliate’s role as a developmental pipeline when announcing the relocation, and Bronny’s time with the team demonstrated this function in real time. When the main roster couldn’t provide it, the South Bay Lakers, who would soon become the Coachella Valley Lakers, gave him a chance to prove himself. That work is now being done in a new city, arena, and under a new name. The Lakers were the first NBA franchise to own and operate their G League affiliate, and on Thursday, they demonstrated that they still see it as an asset worth investing in.