Lakers G League team announces move to Riverside County
The Los Angeles Lakers announced the relocation of their G League team on Thursday, moving them from El Segundo to Riverside County beginning next season.
The team will be renamed to the Coachella Valley Lakers and play their home games at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, according to the team.
"I have enjoyed a long-time relationship with Jerry and Jeanie Buss, Lon Rosen and Linda Rambis," said a statement from Oak View Group Senior Partner Irving Azoff. "And I am beyond thrilled to have the Coachella Valley Lakers call OVG's Acrisure Arena their home. Go Lakers."
Since their origination in 2006, when they were known as the D-Fenders and played at then-STAPLES Center in downtown LA, the Lakers' G League team has always played its home games in Los Angeles County. They briefly moved to the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo before rebranding as the South Bay Lakers in 2017 and moving to the UCLA Health Training Center.
Their new home, which provides Palm Springs and much of southern Riverside County with a venue for some of the world's biggest artists to perform. It currently serves as the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken.
"Opportunities like this are simply not possible without the support and assistance of incredible partners," said Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page in a statement. "We would like to recognize the efforts put forth by Supervisor V. Manuel Perez and Visit Greater Palm Springs, who have worked in conjunction with Oak View Group, the Lakers organization and many others in order to welcome the G League to our town. We look forward to expanding upon our growing connection to the sports community with the addition of this storied franchise."
The Lakers' G League team has recorded 60 NBA call-ups across 38 different players, with their most recent success story being standout guard Austin Reaves. They finished the 2025-26 season with the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference following a 26-10 regular season.
"Moving the Lakers G League team to the Coachella Valley is an incredible opportunity for the organization," said a statement from Lon Rosen, the Lakers' President of Business Operations. "The Lakers have had a strong presence in the region for decades, from the Showtime Lakers holding training camp 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. 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."
