The Los Angeles Lakers will have a whole lot of new faces next season following a thorough roster overhaul this summer. Sandro Mamukelashvili is among those new faces, and he shared what Lakers fans can expect to see from him next season.
“What you can expect from me on the court is hustle, never giving up, make sure I don’t take possessions off, play hard, make the right decisions,” Mamukelashvili said, via the Lakers. “But at the same time, just somebody who embraced being a Laker. Understands how big it is to be part of this big family, and I want to win a championship.
“So, every day I’ll come out there and play hard and try everything to get as close as to that as possible,” Mamukelashvili added.
If Mamukelashvili, who signed a four-year, $52 million contract, does that, he will become a fan favorite in Los Angeles. Lakers fans want to see their players give their all whenever they step out onto the court.
Playing well is, of course, what would endear Mamukelashvili to the fans the most, and he is an interesting acquisition. The 27-year-old averaged 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Toronto Raptors in 2025-26.
Mamukelashvili shot 38.9% from beyond the arc for the Raptors, and he is going to be asked to shoot a lot of threes on the Lakers. He is up to the task and is just thrilled to be on the team.
“To see my name on a Lakers jersey, it feels surreal,” Mamukelashvili said. “Organization is a top tier. I guess it’s one of the best accomplishments in my life. So, I’m proud of myself. I’m blessed and grateful.”
Mamukelashvili was a Kobe Bryant fan growing up and got a “Mamba Mentality” tattoo when he was at Seton Hall. He spent four seasons with the Pirates and was selected with the No. 54 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers, who then traded his rights to the Milwaukee Bucks. If you were wondering why the big man wears No. 54, there is your answer.
Mamukelashvili wasn’t the biggest frontcourt signing the Lakers made, though. That would be Walker Kessler, whom they got via a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz. The Lakers gave up two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps and signed Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal. It’s a huge investment, and Kessler was also asked what the fans can expect from him.
“Lakers fans, what you can expect from me this season is someone who’s going to compete every night,” Kessler said, via the Lakers. “Trying to win and just having a lot of fun doing it.”
Kessler had previously expressed excitement over joining the Lakers and allayed fears regarding his shoulder injury. The 25-year-old played just five games in 2025-26 for the Jazz before he required season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Kessler was great in that small sample size, averaging 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. A defensive anchor and rim-runner like him is exactly what the Lakers needed with Luka Doncic.
To go with Mamukelashvili and Kessler, the Lakers also brought in the likes of Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy, Kevon Looney, and Ziaire Williams. They finished fourth in the Western Conference last season with a 53-29 record, and it will be interesting to see if they can better it. The Lakers are optimistic about their offensive potential, and they should shine on that end of the floor.
