The Los Angeles Lakers have an important decision to make and not a lot of options to choose from.
Waiting nearly two months for one player will often do that to you. (We won’t mention his name again.)
Four of the five Lakers starters next season are pretty much a lock. But that fifth starter remains a big question mark. L.A. could still make a move, and that player could be the final starter. The team may also consider existing players on the roster.
According to team insider Khobi Price, there are four realistic options for the final starting spot, and with the Lakers needing to hammer out a decision on their starting power forward, those candidates are likely all wing options.
The Four Players in Question for the Lakers’ Final Starting Job
Here are the four players Price mentioned as candidates for Lakers’ fifth starter.
1. Sandro Mamukelashvili
“Coming off of a career-year with the Raptors in which his scoring average (11.2 points), field goal percentage (52.3%), assists average (1.9), steals average (.8) and blocks average (.5) with Toronto in 2025-26 were all career-best marks, Mamukelashvili has a blend of offensive skills that’s unique for his size (6-foot-9, 240 pounds).”
2. Jake LaRavia
“LaRavia, along with (Luka) Doncic, (Austin) Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt, is one of just four players who finished in the top-11 in total regular season minutes played from the 2025-26 team that’s on the roster entering this season. Even when he struggled (he shot a career-low 32.1% on 3-pointers), LaRavia still received consistent playing time (career-high 25.1 minutes per game in 82 games).”
“In light of Williams telling the Southern California News Group that he’s bulked up to “about 215 pounds”after being listed at 185 pounds last season, he should be able to credibly guard bigger forwards better compared to previous years.”
“His length (7-foot wingspan on a 6-foot-5, 202-pound frame), motor and reflexes at his size has helped him remain one of the league’s most disruptive perimeter defenders despite being limited to 45 regular season games over the last two seasons.”
Who Stands Out?
According to Price, LaRavia is most likely to secure a starting role out of these three players.
LaRavia, 24, was signed as a free agent last offseason. He appeared in every regular season game for L.A. but struggled from the 3-point line, as Price noted, after converting at an efficient rate over the previous three seasons.
“LaRavia may not bring the offensive versatility that Mamukelashvili does,” Price wrote, “and may not be as good of a perimeter defender as Thybulle, but he’s a better defender than Mamukelashvili and has more experience guarding bigger forwards than Thybulle.”
These four players appear to be the Lakers’ best bet, unless they are able to work out a trade for a better option.
Names mentioned as potential trade targets are P.J. Washignton, De’Andre Hunter and Kyle Kuzma. If acquired, any of these players would likely be inserted into the starting lineup without question, especially Washington, who proved himself as a consistent playoff-level starter playing alongside Doncic for the Dallas Mavericks.
Lakers’ 4 Candidates Revealed as Major Decision on Final Starter Expected