Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton has been slowly building toward what's likely to become a more expansive role. Sexton missed the preseason and the Lakers' regular season opener due to a calf injury, but has appeared in their past two outings and is already beginning to turn heads.
Once the Lakers ultimately lift the minutes restriction that Sexton is playing on as he ramps up and gets back to 100 percent, the second unit will become certifiably elite—at least on paper.
Sexton is an eight-year veteran who has long established himself as one of the most well-rounded offensive guards in the NBA. Over the past three seasons, that's translated to averages of 24.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.3 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes on .484/.400/.860 shooting.
For the Lakers, adding a high-volume scorer and playmaker who can shoot and score with efficiency means taking a significant amount of pressure off of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Sexton isn't just productive, but capable of providing the type of offensive relief that can let Doncic and Reaves rest without the concern of offensive stagnation. Clearly, LeBron James was capable of providing the same, but he was also a starter—and the Lakers only had that trio together for 50 games between 2024-25 and 2025-26.
With Sexton in the mix, the Lakers can finally trust the second unit to run as a well-oiled machine and thus give the starters the sustained quality they need in their absence to optimize their impact.
Collin Sexton can elevate Lakers' second unit to elite status
The Lakers' second unit is taking shape with Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Sexton at the heart of their efforts. That gives Los Angeles three high-level offensive players to turn to when Doncic, Reaves, or even both of the co-stars aren't on the court.
The Lakers' trio of productive reserves combined to average 40.0 points per game and 58.2 points per 36 minutes in 2025-26 and should be able to at least approach those marks again in 2026-27. If they do, there won't be many second units with a better top three players than Los Angeles'.
Reaves also provided insight into what Sexton provides in phases other than scoring and playmaking, referring to his new teammate as, "A pest," per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.
“He is just going to get more comfortable every single minute he plays. He was really good in the summer when he was playing. He’s a pest. He feeds all the energy. He loves doing the little things and plays the game the right way. So, he’ll have a big impact for what we’re trying to do and can’t wait to build chemistry.”
Though Sexton has only played two games with the Lakers, his second appearance quickly revealed exactly why fans should be excited about his ramp up to full strength.
Collin Sexton is already making his mark as an energy guy, scorer
Los Angeles entered the second quarter of its most recent outing trailing 47-29. Sexton posted four quick points and an assist to help get the comeback going, and then scored seven points in the final 13 minutes of what became a 132-123 Lakers win over the Utah Jazz.
It was an early display of how Sexton can make plays both with and without Doncic, and energize his teammates with his intensity—or as head coach JJ Redick describes it, "A level of insanity."
With Sexton offering energy, intensity, "insanity," and well-rounded offensive contributions, the Lakers finally have a backup point guard they can trust to produce. Gabe Vincent offered defense and Marcus Smart did his best to play out of position, but Sexton is a true scorer and quality playmaker.
With Grimes, Mamukelashvili, and Sexton leading the second unit, Los Angeles is finally in a position to trust its depth to help it win games and give its co-stars a chance to rest without cause for panic.
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