What happens if the Los Angeles Lakers cannot complete a sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga? That is a question the franchise, media, and fans alike should all be asking themselves amid the endless stalemate between the two parties.
The Lakers have four out of their five starting spots more or less figured out with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and Quentin Grimes. That starting forward spot remains vacant. If Los Angeles does not look to add another external candidate, they will be stuck picking between a handful of polarizing options internally.
5 — Jarred Vanderbilt may not even stick with the Lakers long-term
Jarred Vanderbilt is still on the Lakers roster, so that does bring him into this conversation. The talking points will quickly eliminate him from the discussion, though.
For one, the Lakers are still over the roster limit ahead of next season. At least one player need to be shaken loose and it would be fair to estimate Vanderbilt is near the top of that list due to his hefty contract.
If Vando does survive until opening night, him starting would be more than a shocker. His defense is still solid, but not as good as it once was. The less said about the offensive end, the better. Vanderbilt as a starter is just not something anyone wants to see in 2026.
4 — Sandro Mamukelashvili fits better off the Lakers bench
Sandro Mamukelashvili is a good basketball player, but his best value to the Lakers comes off the bench. The fit is just so much cleaner for the rotation.
With the Lakers' slim depth at center behind Kessler, they are going to need Mamukelashvili to operate as a backup five when the matchup calls for it. Mamu should see his minutes split between the four and the five with the second unit.
Mamukelashvili has an easy case for being the best offensive player of the bunch here. The starting lineup should already have plenty of firepower, though. They need a medium-to-low maintenance player who focuses primarily on defense. That is not Mamu.
3 — Jake LaRavia could bounce back as a Lakers starter
2025-26 was a season of highs and lows for Jake LaRavia. His first campaign in purple and gold featured early-year promise, but also ended with a benching in the NBA Playoffs in favor of a far less proven rookie.
LaRavia is a solid defender and a hard worker, fitting the profile of what the Lakers would want on that end. His offense just has one glaring weakness that is tough to overlook — his 3-point shooting.
Last season, LaRavia only hit 32.1 percent from beyond the arc. That number was somehow worse when the Lakers forward was left wide open, hitting only 31.6 percent when his defender was more than six feet from him. If the 24-year-old can find his shot, there are worse bets to start on this team.
2 — An Adou Thiero breakout could solidify the Lakers' starting five
The most exciting way this could end is Adou Thiero proving he is capable of taking on starter minutes in his second season. That might be the ideal scenario for the Lakers.
There are still wild cards with Thiero. His health was shaky in his rookie season. His offense still requires more polish, too. However, the defensive playmaking upside and relentless energy should make him a natural fit for what the Lakers want on the back end.
If Thiero can harness his athleticism to be a lob threat off the wings on offense and a capable wing defender on the other end, then carving out around 20 minutes a night for him as a starter is a fair idea. The young forward just needs to prove himself in training camp.
1 — Ziaire Williams quietly ticks key Lakers boxes on both ends
Derrick Jones Jr. had not been fully actualized as a strong role player and starter in the NBA until Luka Doncic helped mold him during their time together on the Dallas Mavericks. Perhaps it can be a similar case for Ziaire Williams with the Lakers.
Defensively, Williams would give Los Angeles a player who can guard the better of the two forwards that opposing teams have. Offensively, Ziaire is still finding his way, but that is where Doncic comes in.
Williams was a below average 3-point shooter in 2025-26, knocking down 34.3 percent on 4.5 attempts per game. That was a career best. The promising news from last season is the former Brooklyn Nets forward connected on 43.8 percent of his wide-open deep balls. Doncic creates a ton of those for his teammates.
Williams is a league-minimum player now. So was Jones Jr. when he arrived in Dallas. If you were going to talk yourself into a guy having that kind of turnaround next season, Ziaire fits the bill.
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