If any proof was needed that the newly unveiled 2026-27 NBA schedule has reshaped the league’s star landscape, Magic Johnson just supplied it. The Lakers icon put an emphatic underline beneath LeBron James’s enduring cultural pull in a series of recent posts.

Following James’s blockbuster offseason exit from Los Angeles to join the Philadelphia 76ers, the NBA’s schedule-makers responded in kind, building an opening-night slate that leaves the Lakers off the marquee entirely. And yet, even with his former franchise absent from the spotlight, Johnson had nothing but praise for the league’s scheduling vision.

Showcasing the immense broadcast power of the newly formed Philadelphia superteam colliding with the reigning champions, a spectacle so compelling that even the Lakers’ most iconic ambassador felt compelled to applaud it. Taking to his official account, Johnson bypassed any disappointment over the Lakers’ omission of a direct celebration of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“Wow! Basketball fans all over the world should give NBA Commissioner Adam Silver a standing ovation for scheduling the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers game on NBA Opening Night🙌🏾👏🏾,” Johnson posted enthusiastically. “It was already going to be a special night because the Knicks are receiving their championship rings – but now LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey all will be playing. Must see TV!”

The blockbuster October 20 doubleheader marks the first time in eight years that the Los Angeles Lakers will not feature on the NBA’s prestigious Opening Night broadcast. The streak originally began in the exact same season James arrived in Southern California. The NBA world pointed out the stark new reality for the Lakers’ franchise regarding their current post-LeBron star power.

For nearly a decade, the pairing of the NBA’s most famous franchise with its most famous active player guaranteed the Lakers a permanent slot on day one of the basketball calendar. With James now back in the East, the league redirected its national spotlight.

Instead of the Lakers, opening night will center on Madison Square Garden, where Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will celebrate their 2026 title by raising their first championship banner since 1973. It will precede the most anticipated clash with the radically retooled 76ers that now boast both James and Jaylen Brown.

The hype for this game is so massive that even MSG’s ‘get-in’ prices are in the $ 1999 range. Fans are already shifting their focus to the broadcast to skip the unaffordability of the LeBron effect.

The schedule reveals a tough commercial reality for the Lakers, signaling that the team is no longer considered the absolute apex of must-see television without James.

While the Lakers remain a global draw, the league’s choice indicates an intentional shift toward newer rivalries and Eastern Conference powerhouses to drive viewership.

Even Magic Johnson revived last season’s thrill by hyping the Spurs-OKC matchup after Knicks-76ers on opening night.

Nevertheless, Los Angeles is not completely starved of early-season attention. The Lakers are officially scheduled for Day 2 of the NBA season (October 21, 2026) in a massive in-state showdown against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.

The league has already ensured that James’ inevitable return to LA will be a premier Christmas Day event, featuring a non-conference matchup between the 76ers and the Lakers.