The constant turmoil of the Buss family feud continues to linger around the Lakers franchise, but as they say, the show, or in this case the basketball, must go on.
Amid the noise, superstar Luka Dončić’s mini camp begins this week. All the participating players were pictured boarding and taking off to Slovenia on Wednesday.
A hopeful key contributor this season on board is Sandro Mamukelashvili, general manager Rob Pelinka’s most out-of-the-box signing of the summer. Listed at 6’9 and 240 pounds, the sharpshooting big man brings an essential stretch-five element with versatility at the forward position the Lakers have been in dire need of.
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This summer, both starting forwards Rui Hachimura and LeBron James walked out the door in free agency. It leaves Mamu as the most important forward on the roster as currently constructed.
The heavily offensively-lenient big man comes in immediately as a dream fit around Luka and Austin Reaves. As with any supporting player, it starts with his ability to shoot and spread the floor. In a career year with the Raptors last season, Mamu shot 38.9% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per game.
He gives the Lakers a pick-and-pop option they didn’t have. In the clip below, Mamu is the center in a small-ball group for the Raptors, something he did often.
Toronto is spaced five out to maximize driving lanes. Mamu sets a ball screen up high with the opposing big man in drop coverage, sitting back in the paint waiting for the ball handler to engage. It’s an easy drive and kick back pass for a spot-up 3-pointer against a late contest.
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He hits 3-pointers from all over the floor in any situation. He has a quick release with solid footwork on relocation and movement shots on off-ball screen actions. Playing with constant downhill forces like Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, he used their attention to become a release valve.
The shooting opens the door for Mamu to show off his versatility. Modern big men not only must hit shots from the perimeter but handle the ball and make quick dribble-pass-shoot decisions. Mamu fits the bill.
In the Raptors system, he’d have offense run through him as the ball handler, showing comfort in coming up and making decisions in a variety of inverted actions. He collected dribble hand-offs like shown in the clip below, able to put the ball on the floor for drives and attacking closeouts.
Mamu finished 71% of his shots in the restricted area for the Raptors, second best on the team.
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He also averaged just under two assists per game last season, exhibiting the ability to read and take advantage of defenses. He found teammates on kick-out passes or nifty back door bounces on overplays like the one below.
LA clearly opted for more youth and athleticism this summer, hoping to play a faster style with their dynamic backcourt. Mamu is an elite finisher in transition and brings an uptempo flair with his push-the-pace game.
He scores 21.7% of his points on the break and is in the 85th percentile in efficiency. He changes ends seamlessly as a fluid athlete and is versatile, able to hit 3-pointers as the trailer or collect posters, as shown on the unsuspecting Derrick White.
Mamu had career numbers across the board for the Raptors last season in 21.9 minutes per game, including 4.9 rebounds a night. At 27, the Lakers hope those numbers scale up with a bigger role and more minutes.
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LA signed Mamu to a four-year, $52 million deal, and most, if not all, is tied to his offense.
Defense is where the question marks arise, and it’s the main reason his minutes dropped precipitously in the playoffs. He was targeted in the postseason on switches and ended up earning just under nine minutes in the Game 7 loss to the Cavs.
Toronto finished with a top-10 defense last season and was better on that end overall with Mamu on the court. All the smarts he uses on the offensive end transfer over when he crosses the half-court line. As a team defender, he has good hands, quick feet and fits an overall scheme. However, he can get in trouble when matched up against top-level playmakers on switches and can’t be relied on as a rim protector in high-leverage games.
The vision for LA is the small ball groups do just enough on defense while being an inferno on the other end. In two big lineups, the hope is he’s protected playing next to LA’s biggest addition this summer, Walker Kessler, as the defensive anchor in the middle while he spaces the floor.
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Even with the defensive concerns, Mamu is an elite fit next to the star backcourt, and his stretch ability can be a main catalyst in taking a Lakers offense from good to great.
You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu
