The Los Angeles Lakers‘ frontcourt makeover may already have its next piece.
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday that the league-wide expectation is growing that free agent Sandro Mamukelashvili will land with the Lakers, adding that the versatile forward would effectively replace Rui Hachimura as Los Angeles continues reshaping its roster following LeBron James‘ departure.
“The league believes Sandro Mamukelashvilli is headed to the Lakers,” Windhorst said on NBA Today Free Agency special. “That’s what people in the league believe. And he would basically replace Rui Hachimura.”
Windhorst’s intel adds momentum to what has become one of the Lakers’ most persistent free agency storylines.
Lakers’ Interest Has Been Building
GettySandro Mamukelashvili of the Toronto Raptors warms up prior to Game Seven against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Windhorst’s report follows a series of similar indications from around the league.
Earlier Tuesday, The Athletic’s Dan Woike reported that multiple league sources identified Mamukelashvili as one of the Lakers’ primary free-agent targets after he declined his $2.8 million player option with the Toronto Raptors.
“But people around the NBA, tasked with trying to make sense of the evolving free-agency landscape, started to link the Lakers to a wide range of players,” Woike wrote. “One name has come up from multiple league sources: Toronto forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili.”
Woike added that league executives believe Mamukelashvili could command more than $10 million annually in free agency after enjoying a breakout season in Toronto.
That growing market has not discouraged the Lakers.
Perfect Fit Next to Luka Doncic
GettyLuka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a play against Sandro Mamukelashvili of the Toronto Raptors during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Mamukelashvili is coming off the best season of his NBA career.
The 27-year-old averaged 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.8 steals while appearing in 80 games for the Raptors. He also shot 38.9% from three-point range, continuing to establish himself as one of the league’s more intriguing stretch bigs.
At 6-foot-9, Mamukelashvili offers the combination of floor spacing, size and offensive versatility that fits seamlessly alongside Luka Doncic.
With LeBron James moving on in free agency, the Lakers have shifted their roster-building focus toward maximizing Doncic’s strengths, placing a premium on players who can stretch defenses while complementing the All-NBA guard in pick-and-roll actions.
Mamukelashvili checks each of those boxes.
Rui Hachimura’s Future Remains Uncertain
Windhorst’s suggestion that Mamukelashvili would replace Hachimura comes as the veteran forward continues drawing trade interest around the league.
Earlier this week, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported that both the Brooklyn Nets and San Antonio Spurs have expressed interest in acquiring Hachimura.
The 28-year-old is coming off one of the most efficient seasons of his career, averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 51.4% from the field and 44.3% from beyond the arc.
His 62.0 true shooting percentage ranked among the NBA’s most efficient non-big men last season, making him an attractive trade target for teams seeking frontcourt shooting.
If the Lakers ultimately move Hachimura, Mamukelashvili could provide a younger, less expensive replacement with a similar ability to stretch the floor.
Competition Awaits Los Angeles
Landing Mamukelashvili, however, will not be easy.
Stein and Fischer also reported that the San Antonio Spurs have emerged as one of the Lakers’ biggest competitors for the Georgian forward, with San Antonio expected to use its $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception to pursue frontcourt help.
The Spurs previously employed Mamukelashvili from 2023 to 2025 before he enjoyed his breakout campaign with Toronto.
Stein and Fischer added that league sources expect Mamukelashvili to receive multiple offers worth more than $10 million annually, reinforcing Windhorst’s report that his market continues to strengthen.
For the Lakers, though, the interest appears genuine.
And if league expectations prove accurate, Mamukelashvili may become one of the first major additions of the franchise’s post-LeBron era—and the player tasked with filling the role Hachimura leaves behind.
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