Lakers Player Profile: Sandro Mamukelashvili
One of the more underrated signings of the Lakers’ offseason is Sandro “Mamu” Mamukelashvili.
We’ll take a deeper look at the Georgian-American player, his skill set, and what he can bring to LA.
Mamu was drafted in 2021 and will head into his sixth NBA season. He spent one and a half seasons in Milwaukee, two and a half in San Antonio, and played in Toronto for just one season last year. He’s coming off a career high in points per game, averaging 11.2 ppg in about 22 minutes. He also averaged about 5 rebounds and 2 assists in Toronto, where he thrived in his role off the bench.
Laker fans may remember Mamu’s stellar game against the Lakers at Crypto.Com Arena back on January 18th, 2026.
He had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 0 turnovers.
With the departure of Rui Hachimura, Mamu feels like the logical guy to slot into that role. He can space the floor, shooting almost 39% from three last year. He’s the kind of player JJ Redick will look to utilize in the offense, especially since he is the currently the only big on the roster who can reliably space the floor.
Now, Rui Hachimura is an elite three-point shooter and shot-maker; it’s a tough ask for anybody to replicate that level of shooting production. But there’s a little more to Mamu’s game than the three-point shot. When it comes to pushing the pace on the fast break, Mamu is very good at snatching rebounds and taking off to the other end of the floor. This is a great asset for a young, athletic team looking to run and push the pace a little more than they did last season.
A Reliable Connector
Even when Mamu doesn’t have the ball in his hands, he can still be effective. He’s a great connector with a high basketball IQ and is rarely out of position. He remains aware of where he’s supposed to be on the floor at all times. Mamu also knows when to make the right passes. He doesn’t force the issue, and making the right passes doesn’t necessarily mean he’s always setting the table or racking up assists; rather, he makes the safe, simple pass, limiting the risk of a turnover.
In addition to his reliable three-point shooting, he’s just an efficient shot-maker overall, shooting a career-high 52.3% from the field last season.
Playoff Struggles and Defensive Concerns
Defensively Mamu may present some challenges, but it’s not for a lack of trying. As mentioned previously, Mamu is always in the right spots at the right time. He may not have the height or wingspan of a Walker Kessler, but his defensive awareness makes up for it.
Mamu unfortunately did not have a great playoff series vs. the Cavs this past season, averaging just 5 points and 5 rebounds in 15 minutes a game. The defense of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is a monster defensive frontcourt that gives a lot of bigs trouble in the paint.
However, one 7-game series doesn’t define who Mamu is as a player; we’ve seen over the course of his five-year career the type of player he is and how effective a role player he can be.
Mamu can be slotted anywhere; if the Lakers need him to play the small-ball center, he can do that. If they need him at power forward next to Kessler, he can do that too.
His offensive baggage can truly be taken to another level playing next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Whether he’s needed to shoot a spot-up three, push a fast break, or roll to the rim, he has the potential to cement himself as an important piece of the new core for the next several years.
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Categorized:Lakers