The wins and losses are finally going to count the next time the Los Angeles Lakers are back on an NBA court. Wednesday will feature the 2026-27 regular season opener for the Lakers as they host the Golden State Warriors. Before then, the preseason fallout still needs to get wrapped up.
Why beat around the bush? There are three players who stood out from the rest during the Lakers preseason. For two of them, it was for the right reasons. For the other, it was a rough start to October that could threaten his future in Los Angeles.
Winner: Sandro Mamukelashvili
No one stands out as a more obvious winner from the Lakers' five preseason games than Sandro Mamukelashvili. At Media Day, the new big man in Los Angeles talked about not letting the payday get to his head, and continuing to stay hungry. He meant every bit of that.
There are natural limitations for Mamu on the defensive end, but what the Georgian hooper showed during preseason is that his offense should regularly outweigh those concerns. Mamukelashvili is a perfect gadget player. JJ Redick should have plenty of different ways in which to deploy him throughout the year.
Mamukelashvili has been such a natural fit for the offensive shift his head coach is trying to implement. His decision-making, passing, and overall feel for the game are unmissable assets any time he is on the floor. The early returns of the $52 million spent on Mamu look well worth it.
Winner: Jake LaRavia
It was far from a perfect preseason for Jake LaRavia, but it was still the type of tune-up he needed ahead of the regular season. After LaRavia's first season in Los Angeles ended on a rough note, the Lakers forward came back for this season ready to position himself for a bounce-back.
With an improved wing rotation, it was easy to think LaRavia could get left behind. However, an improved mental mindset and a tweaked jumper should allow the young forward a chance to still contribute in 2026-27. Jake was down last season, but he is not quite out just yet.
Loser: Bronny James
Bronny James started the preseason with a ton of trust from Redick. He was deployed prominently relative to the guard room. There was a feeling of him being a notch above the cut candidates for the Lakers. The young guard has gone in the wrong direction.
James had more turnovers (12) than he did points (11) during the preseason. The offensive game has lacked so much that others in the guard rotation have quietly passed him by amid his struggles. Redick was even forced to defend Bronny in an uninspiring way after four games were in the books.
"I thought he had a really nice September and a good summer with us. I don't think he's played well in the four preseason games, but he's had good practices," Redick said.
Were it not for Dalton Knecht's equally rough play, James' future could be in a lot more danger. As things stand, the situation will still lack a ton of comfort for him all the same.
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