The Los Angeles Lakers' G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, is packing up and moving to the Coachella Valley. The team will now be known as the Coachella Valley Firebirds and will play their home games in Palm Springs, California.
The relocation aims to bring professional basketball to a new region while maintaining the franchise's connection to the Lakers organization. The move is part of a broader trend of NBA teams relocating their developmental teams to underserved markets.
Team officials said the Coachella Valley offers a growing fan base and state-of-the-art facilities. The Firebirds will begin play in the 2024-25 G League season.