Sandro Mamukelashvili is already giving the Lakers a taste of what they added this summer.
While on a recent trip to Slovenia with his new Los Angeles teammates, Mamukelashvili got right back to work on the court and suited up for Georgia in an exhibition game against Israel on Sunday at Otar Korkia and Nodar Jorjikia Tbilisi Sports Palace in Georgia.
He made the most of it. Mamukelashvili teamed with Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze to power Georgia to a 101-90 win, and the 27-year-old delivered a stat line that jumped off the page: 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.
The former Seton Hall standout showed plenty of the all-around skill that makes him interesting for Los Angeles, even if his role with the Lakers figures to look a lot different. He won’t be asked to handle the kind of volume he saw in this game once he’s sharing the floor with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, but the outing still offered a clean snapshot of what he can provide.
That matters for a Lakers team that went 53-29 in the 2025-26 NBA season, made it to the second round of the playoffs and then was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Los Angeles is expected to be in the mix next season, though the Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves are viewed as the leading threats in the West. Even so, the Lakers have their own reasons to feel good, with Doncic set to become the clear face of the franchise after LeBron James’ offseason departure.
And players like Mamukelashvili are going to matter in that picture. The Lakers signed him in July to a four-year, $52 million deal, banking on the kind of versatile production he just flashed for Georgia.
He’s coming off the strongest NBA season of his career, too, averaging 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 52.3 percent from the field in 80 games for the Toronto Raptors in the 2025-26 campaign.
In Other News...
Lakers Face A Crucial Jonathan Kuminga Decision Before Camp
Jonathan Kuminga is still on the market as training camp approaches, and the Lakers have emerged as the team to watch in a decision that could shape the last stretch of their offseason. Los Angeles and Minnesota are the primary suitors, but the Lakers reportedly have the stronger pitch, with a chance to offer him a starting role and the prospect of a better contract next season.
Minnesotas path is more limited, with only the taxpayer mid-level exception available, while Kuminga continues to hold out for a more favorable deal after declining a player option with the Atlanta Hawks. For the Lakers, the appeal is obvious, but the timing matters too, because this is the kind of move that can affect both the rotation and the financial flexibility they want to preserve. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Doncic Draws Off-Court Buzz During Lakers Trip To Slovenia
A Lakers mini-camp trip to Slovenia had already turned into a useful basketball reset for Luka Doncic, but the off-court chatter followed quickly enough. Slovenian model Anja Jenko drew attention after posting a swimsuit photo as reports circulated that she was at the same nightclub as the Lakers during the visit, adding another layer of curiosity to a trip that was already getting noticed back home.
Even so, there is no confirmed evidence that Doncic or any other Lakers player spent private time with Jenko, and the buzz has mostly stayed in the realm of public speculation. Doncic, meanwhile, is still dealing with a child support dispute with his ex-fiance Anamaria Goltes while also turning his focus toward the upcoming season, which is where the Lakers would much rather have the attention stay. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Ownership Fight Could Decide Who Controls The Franchise
While the Lakers were wrapping up a minicamp in Slovenia under Luka Doncic as they build toward the preseason, the bigger off-court storyline remains the one hovering over the franchises future. Jeanie Buss is contesting the sale of her five siblings remaining shares in the team, turning what had long been a family-controlled business into a legal dispute with real stakes for how the Lakers are governed moving forward.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver could eventually be drawn into the matter as the league looks for a path through the Buss family clash. For a franchise that has spent decades defined by continuity at the top, the question now is not just who owns the Lakers, but who gets to control them when the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]