The Los Angeles Lakers made a significant investment in Sandro Mamukelashvili this offseason, signing the versatile big man to a four-year, $52 million contract. While that price may have initially raised some eyebrows, the Lakers apparently weren’t the only team interested in acquiring him.
Es Baraheni of The Athletic, who covered Mamukelashvili during his season with the Toronto Raptors, believes Los Angeles had to make an aggressive offer because of the market that developed for the 27-year-old.
“Feels like it was very competitive to try and get Sandro Mamukelashvili, is what I think,” Baraheni said on Buha’s Block. “I bet he had a lot of suitors, and that’s why ultimately the Raptors were outbid in that situation. It felt like basically every team could use a player like this.”
Baraheni specifically mentioned the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons as teams that had reportedly shown interest, while believing the Lakers could offer Mamukelashvili something particularly appealing: an opportunity to play alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
A Different Element to Lakers’ Offense
It’s easy to understand why Mamukelashvili generated interest around the league. At 6-foot-9, he possesses an unusual combination of shooting, ball-handling, and passing that allows him to function as much more than a traditional big man.
He has the ability to dribble, pass, and shoot while making quick decisions with the ball. He can operate as a pick-and-pop threat, facilitate through dribble handoffs, attack closeouts, and even push the ball in transition.
That versatility could become even more dangerous next to Luka. Doncic consistently forces defenses to commit additional attention to him, creating advantages elsewhere on the floor. Mamukelashvili’s ability to read and attack those situations should give JJ Redick another weapon to use alongside his franchise centerpiece.
Los Angeles can also use him at multiple frontcourt positions. Mamukelashvili can play alongside Walker Kessler as a floor-spacing four or move to center in smaller five-out lineups.
Defensive Concerns
Sandro Mamukelashvili benefited from Toronto’s defensive personnel, which allowed him to operate more as a helper or “free safety.” But he struggles when asked to defend quicker players in space and has trouble dealing with the physicality of bigger opponents.
Those limitations became particularly problematic during the postseason, when opponents repeatedly targeted Mamukelashvili. There were moments when teammates became frustrated with his defensive lapses and work on the glass.
That could make his role matchup-dependent when the Lakers reach the playoffs. Elite Western Conference guards will inevitably attempt to force him into actions and make him defend in space.
Redick’s willingness to utilize zone defenses could help protect Mamukelashvili by allowing him to defend an area rather than consistently matching up one-on-one. Playing alongside an elite rim protector in Kessler should also provide Los Angeles with another layer of protection.
Finding the Right Role
The Lakers didn’t hand Mamukelashvili a $52 million contract without competition. His offensive skill set made him a coveted player, and Los Angeles is betting that putting him alongside Doncic can unlock another level of his game. The Lakers officially added Mamukelashvili as part of their sweeping roster overhaul around Doncic this summer.
The question is whether his defense will allow him to remain on the floor when games matter most.
He’s likely more of a sixth man than a full-time starting power forward. That may ultimately be his ideal role: an offensive weapon capable of playing either frontcourt position while giving Redick the flexibility to adjust depending on the matchup.
If the Lakers can find the right defensive combinations around him, the same versatility that made Mamukelashvili so coveted this summer could make him one of their most valuable offensive pieces.
