Player evaluations are officially in their infancy stage for the 2026-27 season after the Los Angeles Lakers played their first preseason game of the campaign. There was plenty to admire about the absolute dominance displayed in the Lakers' one-sided 127-103 win over the Sacramento Kings.
To some extent, this being both the preseason and the lowly Kings does make it tough to truly put an overwhelming amount of credence to what we saw. However, there are still players who made an impression, for better or worse, in the opener against Sacramento.
Stock up: Jake LaRavia
Jake LaRavia ended his first season with the Lakers on a rough note in 2025-26. After being a regular contributor in the rotation throughout the year, LaRavia was brutal on offense during the playoffs and it got him benched before the end of it. Monday night looked much better for him.
The numbers looked great. LaRavia finished with 12 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, while adding three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. More than just the stats, it was the confidence of the Lakers forward that stood out.
LaRavia was decisive and focused in his 21 minutes of on-court action. There was rarely a wasted motion on his part. That performance put him back in the mix for a rotation role among a strengthened wing group in Los Angeles.
Stock down: Dalton Knecht
Dalton Knecht did not step on the floor until the fourth quarter. That was a pretty telling sign of how JJ Redick viewed him relative to his peers. Even when he did, there was not much to speak about.
The contributions from Knecht were minimal. The third-year wing was one of only two Lakers to be held without a point on Monday. That does not bode well for his immediate future amid a coming roster trim.
Stock up: Quentin Grimes
Without Austin Reaves available for the preseason opener, someone had to step up and effectively operate as the number two beside Luka Doncic. That turned out to be Quentin Grimes.
The new Lakers guard showed off his scoring potency, putting up 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. Grimes was smooth and operated perfectly well within the offensive flow throughout the matchup. The defensive pressure on the other end was solid, too.
Despite Redick only committing to three finalized starters in Doncic, Reaves, and Walker Kessler, Grimes has always felt softly penciled in as number four. The new arrival in Los Angeles did well to reassure why that has been the case.
Stock down: Jarred Vanderbilt
Similarly to Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt did not touch the floor until the fourth quarter. That offered another telling sign of how Redick viewed his veteran forward.
Vanderbilt had some positive moments. On the whole, though, he still looked a lot like the player he has been over recent seasons. Among a revamped Lakers roster, that is not good enough. Vando needs to improve and evolve.
Stock up: Cameron Carr
Cameron Carr settled in more and more as the night went on for the Lakers. By the end of the Kings game, the rookie had turned in an impressive two-way display in his preseason debut.
Carr told reporters after the matchup ended: "I was definitely nervous, but I mean, it's basketball. I enjoy having fun, so I got to go out there and have another opportunity to play basketball, and now at the highest level, so it's fun, get to compete with my guys."
By the time the nerves and thrill surrounding his debut had fully calmed down, Carr finished with 19 points (7-of-13 from the field and 3-of-7 from distance) and two steals. The Lakers rookie got to show off the kind of upside he has. Los Angeles would be wise to pay attention.
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