Austin Reaves sees a lot more than a stretch big in Sandro Mamukelashvili.
The Lakers guard said the team’s new frontcourt addition has the feel of a player who can handle the ball and make decisions, not just finish plays. Reaves pointed to Mamukelashvili’s basketball IQ and even described situations where the forward could function like the point guard after grabbing a rebound.
“He’s a good basketball player. I think he struggled a little bit during the first of camp, and I think he was just worried about not doing the right thing every single possession.
I know JJ talked to him, I talked to him, I’m sure Luka talked to him and we told him that he’s here for a reason,” Reaves said following Lakers’ practice on Oct. 11.
“We believe in him and we want him to be himself and that’s been the main message to him.
“He’s got such a high basketball IQ that if he gets the rebound, he should basically play the one. And it doesn’t matter if I’m on the floor, it doesn’t matter if Luka is on the floor, if he gets it an goes and he has a good matchup, we trust whatever he has planned to do. He’ll be really good for us.”
Mamukelashvili has backed up that confidence in the preseason. Through three games, he’s averaging 14.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steals, while shooting 57.1 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from 3-point range and 100 percent from the free-throw line.
The former Seton Hall standout signed a four-year deal with the Lakers, giving him more stability than he’s had at any point in his NBA career so far.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
JJ Redick Still Has A Lakers Lineup Call That Will Matter Fast
The Lakers already know three names who will be on the floor when the 2026-27 season starts, but the picture around them is still taking shape. JJ Redick has said Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic and Walker Kessler are set as starters, giving Los Angeles a clear foundation as it keeps sorting out the rest of the rotation around those core pieces.
What remains open are the other two spots, and Redick does not sound in a rush to lock them in. He wants the lineup to flex with matchups and health, which keeps players like Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle in the conversation for starting work or major minutes. For a team built around versatility, that last bit of lineup uncertainty could end up shaping plenty of nights early and late. [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 🡒]