The Los Angeles Lakers need Sandro Mamukelashvili to be their starting power forward, which is a much bigger and different role than the Bucks, Spurs, or Raptors asked him to play. Mamu has started just 28 of his 271 career NBA games. He played a career-high 21.9 minutes per game last season and 76 percent of his career minutes have come at the five. The Lakers gave him a four-year, $52 million contract, and now, they need the 6’9 big man to do something no other team asked of him.
Mamu keeps improving. The 27-year-old is just entering his prime and should be the best version of himself in Los Angeles. He broke out as an offensive weapon last season. Mamukelashvili averaged 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. The Lakers were eager to sign him, but it left their roster with a massive hole.
Los Angeles was rumored to have targeted Jonathan Kuminga to be their starting power forward, but that ship appears to have sailed. The Lakers added Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams to put them at 16 guaranteed contracts. LA has to make another move, but the roster appears nearly locked in. That means Mamu will have to be their starting power forward.
The Lakers need Sandro Mamukelashvili to be their starting four
Los Angeles completely retooled their roster this summer. LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, and Nick Smith Jr. all departed in free agency. The Lakers traded Deandre Ayton to make the roster fit around Luka Doncic. The splashy sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler headlined their retool, but the purple and gold have 12 new players if fans count their two-way deals.
The Lakers lost three starters from last season. Kessler will be the starting five, and Quentin Grimes was signed to join the first five on the wing. The power forward spot is wide open, and Mamu is paid to fill that spot. He will have to hold off Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, and Jarred Vanderbilt, but all of those options would force LA to go small.
Mamu is paid like a starter now. Fans should worry about their speed with Mamu starting next to Doncic and Kessler. The new starting center is an elite rim-protector and rebounder. He should lock down the paint, but the Lakers don’t want Mamu guarding on the perimeter. The 6’9 big man is not a rim protector and struggles on defense. His offensive game has to make up for defensive woes.
Mamu is coming off a career year and should only improve. He struggled in the playoffs, but it was his first time on that stage. Luka should maximize Mamukelashvili’s game. This is a new role. Mamu has earned a shot to be a starter, but the Bucks, Spurs, and Raptors weren’t putting him in that position. This is his sixth NBA season and fourth team. That should worry Lakers fans.
The Los Angeles Lakers surprisingly gave Sandro Mamukelashvili a $52 million contract in free agency. They paid him like a starter and have a wide-open hole at the four. Mamu will play backup center minutes in a hybrid role, but this is a new spot for the big man. This is his shot, and it will be fascinating to see if Mamu can thrive in it. The Lakers will likely find out why three other teams didn’t put him in this spot.
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