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Iztok: This roster has changed dramatically. Does this offseason remind you of another turning point or season you’ve covered, or does this team feel like a big enigma to you? Trudell: While the roster has changed considerably, I think it actually makes a lot of sense. You have two primary playmakers in Dončić and Austin Reaves who are about as good as it gets in the NBA from a shot creation standpoint, with an anchoring big man on defense in Walker Kessler who can pick and roll, and potentially pop as well, on the other end. You have a sixth-man scorer in Collin Sexton who’s athletic and will battle on the perimeter defensively, even if he has work to do off the ball. You have an offense-first, versatile four/five in Sandro Mamukelashvili who can dribble, pass, and shoot and keep things flowing. And then, almost literally, you have the rest of the roster with a collectively simplified role on the wing: work super hard; defend on and off the ball; sprint in transition; pressure the basketball; shoot open 3s; attack closeouts.
Dave McMenamin: “He's got such a high basketball IQ that if he gets the rebound, he should basically play the 1. And it doesn't matter if I'm on the floor, it doesn't matter if Luka's on the floor. If he gets it and goes … we trust whatever he has planned” - Austin Reaves on Sandro Mamukelashvili
Benjamin Royer: “Our main priority is defense,” Sandro Makukelashvili said. “Making sure we rotate correctly, making sure we are physical, we communicate, and I think that has been the tone for the past two days, making sure we're connected on defense and we're moving the right way.”
Benjamin Royer: I asked coach JJ Redick about Sandro Mamukelashvili’s fit on the Lakers. Redick called Mamu an “offensive connector” when on the floor. “He can fit in a number of places. I'm sure he'll see minutes versus certain teams at the five. He'll play some on the wing.”
Sandro Mamukelashvili on Luka Doncic: "He is probably the best offensive player ever, maybe, I would say, and definitely right now in the league. He has basketball IQ that is off the charts. So I think just being at the right spot, I am sure he is going to find you. He is so unselfish and he is a great guy off the court as well, so I am really looking forward to getting on the court with him and making hopefully a lot of corner threes."
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Khobi Price: Sandro Mamukelashvili on the stability of a four-year deal with the Lakers: "It feels great...you can't get comfortable. The moment you get comfortable [is] the moment you find yourself declining. You've got to always be on your toes."
“There’s a couple of people, man. Obviously we know what Austin and Luka can do and then you got a lot of heavy on Walker Kessler. But I’m looking at guys like the rook, Cameron Carr, but like Ziaire (Williams) and Mamu (Sandro Mamukelashvili). Like those two guys, Collin Sexton, a defensive presence that could come off the bench or start, be a point guard for them. Those three guys, to me, can be X-factors for the group, like what Jake (LaRavia) was last year. Jake can still carry that over and be better, but I think those three guys are guys that I’m looking at that can probably make a jump and make this team dangerous, if they progress.”
Mamukelashvili appeared in an interview on the golf course with Deondre Hawkins of ESPN and spoke about the team’s recent trip to Luka Dončić’s home country of Slovenia. “First of all, shoutout to Luka. I think the organization was amazing, the way they planned everything,” Mamukelashvili said. “They showed us a lot of great places, and Ljubljana is a really, really nice city.” “Plus, it was great for the new team. It was a bunch of new guys on the team, and you know, all of us being together, it didn’t even feel like it was a lot of new guys.”
Fresh off meeting his new Los Angeles Lakers teammates in Slovenia, Sandro Mamukelashvili helped Georgia overcome Israel, 101–90, in Otar Korkia and Nodar Jorjikia Tbilisi Sports Palace on Sunday.
Goga Bitadze spearheaded the assault with 22 points, while Mamukelashvili showcased his versatile inside-out skill set to finish with 20. Tornike Shengelia provided elite support with 17 points and nine rebounds. In a losing effort, Roman Sorkin logged a game-high 25 points.
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New Los Angeles Lakers big man Sandro Mamukelashvili headlines Georgia's preliminary national-team roster for the FIBA World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers alongside EuroLeague star Tornike Shengelia and Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze.
“AR had a fantastic season last year, well-deserving of the contract he got and everything,” Grimes said on 710 AM ESPN L.A. with Mason & Ireland. “He’s one of the best scorers in the NBA, probably. Walker (Kessler), you know, is one of the best rim protectors. I know he only played like four or five games last year, but everybody knows what he does. Nobody wants to go in that paint, 7’2” guy he’s going to block shots. He’s going to give us a definite advantage because people aren’t gonna go in that paint, so we can guard and put pressure on the ball even more knowing we got big Walker down in the paint holding it down. “We got guys like Collin (Sexton), a dog. (Sandro) Mamu, a dog, already getting out here and getting work in. So, it’s going to be a lot of fun. I feel like we’re going to surprise some people for sure with how good we are and clicking on all cylinders, I think.”
The Lakers are still monitoring the market for big men, team sources told The Athletic. They traded for Walker Kessler and signed Kevon Looney to play center, and Sandro Mamukelashvili can play the position, too. The team could address the position either by trade or signing, like with potentially adding Matisse Thybulle. The roster is currently at full capacity.
Khobi Price: Sandro Mamukelashvili on becoming teammates with Luka Doncic: "Luka and me, born the same year, so like being in Europe, I used to see a lot about Luka and grew up kind of like seeing how good he was and how big he was at that early age. So, it’s cool to just be his teammate now, cause I remember there was rankings in Europe and like I would always see he was always No. 1. So, I was like just trying to get there, get there. Now just being his teammate, it’s amazing and I really do think like he’s going make my life a lot easier.”
