The Los Angeles Lakers should know who at least six of their rotation spots go to when the 2026-27 season arrives. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton have job security. The rest of next year's Lakers will be competing for minutes.
There was an effort made to strengthen the depth of the roster in Los Angeles. That should mean the Lakers have a handful of players who are going to be in that competition for playing time.
JJ Redick has typically preferred a rotation that has nine players. Perhaps that gets expanded next season with the boost to the depth, but at the very least, there should be three spots up for grabs. With a handful of strong candidates for those minutes, Redick will have no shortage of notable cases to shuffle through.
Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero — embrace and develop the youth
Let us start with a case that involves multiple players on the fringes of playing time. If the Lakers are serious about developing guys who can be impactful around Doncic and Reaves for the long-term, then two spots must be handed to Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero.
Carr and Thiero both have intriguing upside as role players, and even potential starters, for the Lakers. Getting them reps during the regular season can help both young guys gain the experience needed to become lasting supporting acts in Los Angeles.
The case for them to play is simple. Developing cost-controlled contributors on rookie-scale deals is more important than ever with the current NBA CBA. While the Lakers are nowhere near flirting with second apron now, having cheap and effective rotation players is good practice and at a premium for a potential future where they could be. That means investing in the success of your youth.
Matisse Thybulle — a steady and reliable veteran presence
Matisse Thybulle arrives in Los Angeles with health concerns following him from his previous stop. The Lakers have seen this story before with Marcus Smart. They managed to get the most out of that situation, keeping him largely around and available, while squeezing great basketball out of Smart.
That is the hope for Thybulle.
When Thybulle did play for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, there were still flashes of the former two-time All-Defensive player he was. The Lakers should happily take what he has left in terms of being a more than capable perimeter defender.
Over the years, Thybulle has even managed to improve his 3-point shot, by the percentages. The veteran wing shot 37.4 percent during his time with the Blazers. A lot of those attempts came when he was left largely open, but it was still encouraging to see him knocking them down.
Thybulle strengthening his two-way value over the years should give the Lakers plenty of reason to try and carve out minutes for him next season.
Kevon Looney — situational impact at center
This one is pretty simple: there are just going to be some matchups that require the Lakers to get more physical on the interior. That is where Kevon Looney comes in.
There will be plenty of nights when the Lakers can get away with running Mamukelashvili as the bench center. When they cannot, Looney will need to serve as Kessler's backup. That should earn him about 10-15 minutes a night when the matchup calls for it.
Ziaire Williams — the best fifth starter candidate currently around
Without Jonathan Kuminga, the Lakers will need to answer who completes their starting lineup with the options they currently have. Ziaire Williams may be that guy.
Williams is a capable perimeter defender whose length should help him guard opposing team's talented wings. Ziaire has also improved his 3-point shot, shining on his wide-open looks with the Brooklyn Nets last season.
If the Lakers are forced to pick between the starting options currently available to them, Williams earning about 20 minutes a night as a starter should not be out of the question. Ziaire can prove to be great bang for buck on a veteran minimum.
Jake LaRavia — a jumper away from Lakers redemption
Jake LaRavia is a positive as a glue guy and defender. However, it is tough for the Lakers to justify giving him a significant role without his jumper being respectable.
Opposing defenses were more than happy to sag off LaRavia and leave him open last season. Even when they did, the Lakers forward rarely made them pay with his shooting. Should that change, the 24-year-old can easily challenge Williams as the best internal option for that fifth starter spot.
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