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Lakers ditch City Edition uniforms after posting 1-9 record in them

jack baer
Staff writer
·1-min read

The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be a superstitious lot. Entering Saturday, the team was scheduled to wear their City Edition "Lake Show" uniforms against the New York Knicks.

Instead, they took the floor wearing their Statement Edition purple uniforms, and the reason was their past performance. Los Angeles is 1-9 in its City Editions, in a season where it held a 27-19 record overall before the game.

Team reporter Mike Trudell said the swap was a "team decision," while head coach JJ Redick didn't seem to care, via ESPN:

"I'm just hopeful that we're wearing matching jerseys and matching shorts," Lakers coach JJ Redick said jokingly before the game. "I don't really care what color the jerseys are."

The decision wound up working out. The Lakers pulled away from the Knicks in the fourth quarter for a 128-112 win, improving their record to 28-19, fifth in the Western Conference. LeBron James posted a triple-double with 33 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 28: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 28, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Lakers might be done with their City Edition uniforms. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

The Lakers, whose site says the City Edition uniform reflects how "The 'Lake Show' isn’t just about winning," are scheduled to wear their newly banished threads eight more times this season. ESPN reports the team will revisit those plans during the All-Star break.

City Edition uniforms are annually changing uniforms meant to offer an alternative to each team's usual look. In practice, the uniforms are a vehicle for the NBA to have a continually rotating set of merchandise to sell to fans each season, hence why the league might not love the Lakers dropping the uniforms halfway through the season.