The Los Angeles Lakers signed an offensive dynamo earlier this season when they brought Sandro Mamukelashvili in on a four-year, $52 million contract. Mamukelashvili is a sharpshooting 6'9" big with the ability to crash the offensive glass and create his own offense.
There are questions pertaining to Mamukelashvili's defensive consistency, however, which has spawned a necessary question: What does the ideal lineup look like to maximize his potential?
Thankfully, the Lakers have options. They have three dynamic shot creating guards in Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Collin Sexton, as well as a cast of athletic wings and a prolific shot-blocking center in Walker Kessler.
Assembling winning lineups is thus a realistic endeavor—even if it does require players to step up around Mamukelashvili as he finds his ideal defensive role.
3. The Situational Walker Kessler Lineup
The Lakers signed Kessler and Mamukelashvili to four-year deals, but it's unclear how well they'll fare on the court together. Mamukelashvili played 93 percent of his minutes at center this past season and isn't necessarily known for his ability to defend in space.
In saying that, maximizing Mamukelashvili will entail playing him next to Kessler when opponents have a 4 on the court whose skill set doesn't lend itself to exploiting such flaws.
In that scenario, the Lakers can lean heavily into their defense. That starts with including Quentin Grimes as a 3-and-D wing, and continues with one of Cameron Carr, Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, or Ziaire Williams at the 3. To put it simply: Los Angeles will need wings who can defend—plural.
That means playing one of Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, but not both. Having three defensive specialists on the court can make this work, but any less could cause trouble.
If the two wings shoot efficiently, Mamukelashvili lives up to his potential as a scorer and spacer, and the duo of either Doncic or Reaves and Kessler play at the level they've proven capable, this group can thrive.
2. The All-Out Offensive Assault
The Lakers' most explosive lineup is the one that will admittedly have the most limitations. That starts with Mamukelashvili stepping in at center and star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves sharing the backcourt. Right there, defense is already a major question mark.
If Los Angeles can put two other reliable three-point shooters on the court, however, then they'll be able to play five out and hurt teams from every angle of the court.
Quentin Grimes would be doing some serious heavy lifting in this scenario, as would whoever steps in at the 4. The ideal outcome would be for one of Jake LaRavia or Ziaire Williams to stabilize their jump shots, as they have the size to be disruptive on defense and thus limit Mamukelashvili's responsibilities on that end of the floor.
With a Doncic-Reaves-Grimes-LaRavia or Williams-Mamukelashvili lineup, however, the Lakers could produce explosive offensive results and swing the momentum of games in short spurts.
1. Emulating the Raptors' Success
A season ago, the Toronto Raptors' most effective lineups with Mamukelashvili saw them surround him with defenders. The lineups that Los Angeles should attempt to replicate are the ones that included Immanuel Quickley rather than Jamal Shead, as the former's defensive impact is easier to emulate with the Lakers' personnel.
The lineup the Lakers may have the best shot at using as inspiration featured Quickley, Ochai Agbaji, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and Mamukelashvili.
In this scenario, Mamukelashvili would again play the 5. Doncic, Reaves, or even Collin Sexton could step in at point guard. From there, it would be essential that the remaining three players rank among the best defenders on the roster.
Grimes is the first obvious candidate as a 3-and-D wing who thrives when defending guards. Next will be a now familiar group of names competing for the final two positions: Carr, LaRavia, Thybulle, and Williams. With or without optimal shooting from them, defense will be a non-negotiable.
Carr's overachievement as a rookie would unlock this group's potential, but even if it's one of the other three, there's mountains of upside here. Mamukelashvili's ability to space the floor as a 5 could unlock the Lakers' offense, while his surroundings would take pressure off of him defensively.
It's a difficult path to travel when one considers Mamukelashvili's flaws, but the Lakers shouldn't be afraid to experiment with their lineups to find the perfect place for him.
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