Lakers Add Luxe Second Row Courtside Seats, Luka Doncic Out

The Lakers are adding a second row of courtside seats for the 2026 playoffs priced at "78 percent" of typical courtside tickets, roughly $15,000 to $30,000 each. The new spots keep the premium chairs and VIP club access and give fans more options since floor seats "have been sold out for the last 50 years." Still, recent injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves leave Los Angeles' postseason hopes and demand for those seats uncertain. Merlin sees this as a clever way to squeeze more gold from an ever-hungry market while offering a slightly cheaper taste of courtside life. If the Lakers stay healthy and make noise into June, the seats will vanish fast. If injuries linger, the team may face a test of whether fans buy hope or only star power.