Building around franchise star Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers made wholesale changes to the roster for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, but have yet to find or announce a player to fill the open power forward position in the starting lineup.
The Lakers have a few options currently on the table, and while they missed out on a few top trade and free agency targets, several names on the books could be a solid fit next to Doncic to play in the starting lineup next season.
However, as one team reporter wrote, the decision for who will begin the year as the starting power forward should come down to who fits well next to the Slovenian. It is expected that the still-unnamed player will have the potential to be a high-impact defensive player who can also hit open shots on offense.
Doncic, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, and Walker Kessler are projected to be the other players in the Lakers’ starting lineup once the new season begins.
A Strong Fit Next To Luka Doncic Is What The Lakers Starting Lineup Needs
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Svyatoslav Rovenchuk believes the final player to fill the starting five will need to be someone who can mesh well next to Doncic on the court.
“This Los Angeles Lakers offseason has been all about Luka Doncic. With the fifth starter still up in the air as September starts, there should be no reason to pivot away from that mindset if you are the Lakers. That final spot should be all about how to best support the Slovenian superstar.”
“At this point, an energetic and disruptive wing stopper sticks out as the most pressing need in that starting unit,” Rovenchuk continued. “Getting another guy in there who can challenge the larger players would ensure Luka’s primary responsibilities are elsewhere.”
All of this is also assuming the Lakers don’t make another trade before the season begins.
During his time in Dallas, Doncic proved that he thrives next to an athletic and rim-running forward. Los Angeles has been linked to trades involving his former teammates PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively. However, there’s no guarantee, or even assumption, that any of them will be wearing the Purple and Gold next season.
“This offseason has been about retooling around Doncic. If the upcoming season calls for getting as much Luka Magic as possible, the fifth starter needs to help preserve that for the offensive end,” Rovenchuk added.
So with that, the Lakers have a select number of options to choose from to fill the power forward position in the starting lineup next year.
Top Options To Fill Starting Power Forward Spot
Going off the team’s depth and what top insiders are saying, here are the players who are up for the job of playing in the starting lineup next to Doncic, Reaves, Grimes, and Kessler: Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia, Ziaire Williams, and Matisse Thybulle.
Though Mamukelashvili is coming off the best season of his NBA career, he’s thrived playing is smaller bunches. He’s also expected to play some backup center minutes for Los Angeles, so there’s a bigger chance he comes off the bench rather than consistently playing in the starting lineup.
LaRavia, Williams, and Thybulle all appear to be more realistic options.
As for the first name, LaRavia has proven to be a strong defender during his time in the league. He was consistently guarding top opposing forwards for the Lakers last year, and held his own on most occasions. However, it’s his outside shot that will need work for him to secure a spot in the starting lineup.
Williams is another intriguing option. He’s shown upside on the defensive end, averaging 1.4 steals in 22.9 minutes per game last year. The 24-year-old also has the size and length; this would just be the biggest role of his NBA career so far.
“Of the internal fifth-starter options the Lakers have, Ziaire has a strong case to be right at the top,” Rovenchuk wrote. “The desire to see him start will only get amplified if his mindset, offseason work, and improvements can all showcase themselves at training camp.”
If the Lakers are looking strictly at defense, Thybulle is probably the best bet. He’s a two-time All-Defensive player, and though his production has dropped off over the past few years due to injuries, when healthy, he can cause chaos on that end of the floor.
Thybulle also shot 43.8% from three in 2024-25 and 39.8% from outside last year. He would be a bit undersized, but has the skill set the Lakers need for the open power forward position.
“Thybulle would be the ideal starter for the Lakers as a 3-and-D forward who can match up against players at multiple positions,” Maxwell Ogden wrote for LakeShowLife.com. “Thybulle started his career as an inefficient shooter, but he’s quietly developed into a reliable source of spacing.”
The Lakers still have a decision to make on who will fill out the starting lineup. Assuming no other big roster moves are made, the team has a few interesting candidates who could take the open spot, as each of them has potential upside playing next to Doncic next year.
Lakers Starting Lineup Expected To Be Filled Based On Luka Doncic Requirement