JJ Redick still has one major roster question hanging over the Lakers as opening night draws near: who fills out the rest of the starting five?
The Lakers know three names are locked in around the core - Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, and Walker Kessler - but the final two spots remain unsettled with the 2026-27 NBA season about to begin. Los Angeles opens against the Golden State Warriors in just over a week, and Redick has not committed to a definitive lineup yet.
That uncertainty fits the way Redick has described his team-building approach. He plans to use different starting combinations during the season based on matchups, even if those three pillars stay put when healthy. From there, he’ll have to sort through the rest of a roster that gives him options and, apparently, no easy answer.
Sandro Mamukelashvili has been mentioned as a candidate to start because of how cleanly he would fit with the others. Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle are also in the mix, and both could spend plenty of time in the spotlight over the course of the season as Redick looks for the best balance.
For now, though, nothing is settled.
"We’ve certainly seen glimpses of the things we like. It's hard because we've just been a little disjointed with the guys being banged up, so there's nothing definitive yet," Redick said about his potential starting lineup for opening night alongside his core trio.
Injuries remain a key part of the equation, and Redick’s next move will likely hinge on who is available and how the pieces fit together. He has already shown in his first two seasons that he can keep a team winning at a high level even when the roster is constantly shifting, guiding a 50-win team through all kinds of injuries.
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Lakers Wings Are Suddenly Fighting For A Bigger Opening Night Role
The Lakers have spent preseason shuffling looks and testing combinations, and the injuries to Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves have only made the evaluation more urgent. JJ Redick has been using the exhibition slate to sort through different starting lineups, with the regular-season opener still far enough away for the staff to keep its options open.
Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jake LaRavia have all been part of that conversation, but LaRavia has stood out by giving the group a needed offensive spark. He has made a strong preseason impression, and the way he has fit on both ends has given Los Angeles something to weigh as the final opening-night spots remain unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers May Have An Early X-Factor Fans Need To Watch Closely
Sandro Mamukelashvili has already made himself part of the conversation around the Lakers preseason, signing a four-year deal and appearing in all three exhibition games. The big man has brought a little of everything so far, and his early stretch has backed up the idea that he could carve out a meaningful role after a breakout season with the Toronto Raptors.
What has stood out most is the way JJ Redick and Austin Reaves have talked about his versatility and basketball IQ, with the Lakers seeing a player who can fit into multiple spots on the floor. Through those preseason games, Mamukelashvili has averaged 14.0 points and 3.7 assists, which is the sort of all-around production that can make a newcomer hard to ignore if it carries into the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Opening Night Challenge Is Coming Into Focus Against Golden State
Opening night against Golden State is starting to take shape, and the Lakers now have a clearer sense of the kind of matchup they may be walking into. Steve Kerr has signaled a preference for a smaller starting group, one built around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, with younger pieces filling out the front line and Al Horford likely in a reserve role. It is the kind of wrinkle that can change the feel of a game early, especially when a team is trying to balance minutes, defensive continuity and the realities of a long season right out of the gate.
For the Lakers, the more important part may be how much further the picture can shift before tipoff. Kristaps Porzingis is still a variable, with a meeting set with the Warriors' medical staff and no final ruling on his availability yet. Until that is sorted out, the opening-night matchup remains a moving target, and the Lakers will have to prepare for more than one version of Golden State before the season even starts. [Read more 🡒]