The Los Angeles Lakers are making a move—but don't worry, LeBron and the crew aren't packing their bags just yet. The team's G-League affiliate, long known as the South Bay Lakers, is relocating to the sunny Greater Palm Springs region and getting a fresh new name: the Coachella Valley Lakers.

Starting with the 2026-27 NBA G-League season, the rebranded squad will tip off at Acrisure Arena, a state-of-the-art, 11,000-seat venue in Palm Desert. That's a major upgrade from their current home at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California, and it signals the Lakers' commitment to expanding their footprint in Southern California's desert communities.

The move isn't just about basketball. Acrisure Arena has already proven its versatility, hosting concerts, comedy shows, and hockey games as the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. And Lakers fans might already be familiar with the venue—it hosted a pair of NBA preseason games in 2024, featuring the Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns.

Irving Azoff, Senior Partner of Oak View Group, which operates the arena, couldn't hide his excitement. "I have enjoyed a long-time relationship with Jerry and Jeanie Buss, Lon Rosen, and Linda Rambis. And I am beyond thrilled to have the Coachella Valley Lakers call OVG's Acrisure Arena their home. Go Lakers," he said in a statement.

For fans of the purple and gold, this is more than just a relocation—it's a chance to see the next generation of Lakers talent develop closer to home, all while soaking up the desert sun. And with the G-League becoming an increasingly vital pipeline for NBA stars, the Coachella Valley Lakers are poised to become a must-watch destination for basketball enthusiasts and sneakerheads alike.