Sandro Mamukelashvili talks about possibly starting for the Lakers

[ASFN Admin]

The one real roster weakness the Los Angeles Lakers have left after putting in lots of work this month is a starting two-way forward. Right now, Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic and center Walker Kessler will absolutely be starters, and two-way guard/wing Quentin Grimes could also be a starter. But who will occupy that fifth and final starting spot?

By default, it could very well be Sandro Mamukelashvili, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound big man the Lakers signed in free agency. He would ideally come off the bench and play both the 4 and 5 positions, but right now, coach JJ Redick could very well slot him into the starting 4 spot simply because he may feel there are no viable alternatives.

When Mamukelashvili was introduced to the Los Angeles media last Monday, he talked about the possibility of making the team's starting lineup.

“I don’t know how it’s all gonna play out, but I just think throughout my five years in the league, I’ve matured enough and understand how to play this game,” Mamukelashvili said. “I think it’s slowing down year after year and I’m getting more and more comfortable out there. So what I gotta do is just be coachable, listen to coach JJ, understand my spots, understand how they want to play, which we haven’t really gone through yet -- we’re still kind of in the process.

“Just play the game, play hard, do the simple things, do the dirty work and just play. There is not much you can say, all you know is if you are put in that position, you’re gonna do whatever it takes to help the team win the game and you’re gonna do your job the best way possible… Whenever we start learning everything, it’s gonna probably be easier to tell you.”

Mamukelashvili had a slow start to his career after he was a second-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. But last season, he put up 11.2 points on 52.3% overall shooting and 38.9% from 3-point range, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 21.9 minutes a game with the Toronto Raptors.

He appears to be a fluid player who can not only hit from the outside but can also operate off the dribble, both in transition and in half-court situations, and make proper passes. He is also a solid rebounder and should, along with Kessler and backup center Kevon Looney, help the team improve in that category.

As far as going after a legitimate starting forward, L.A. is still interested in Jonathan Kuminga, although the question is what the Atlanta Hawks will ask for in a potential sign-and-trade and how much money Kuminga will demand from the Lakers.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Sandro Mamukelashvili talks about possibly starting for the Lakers

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