Sandro Mamukelashvili might just be the secret sauce for the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense right now. Through just seven games, their offensive rating is a whopping 4.4 points better with him on the floor, clocking in at 122.0 points per 100 possessions compared to 117.6 points without him. That’s a serious bump, no matter how early it is in the season.
From Underrated Gem to Lakers’ Key Piece
This isn’t a fluke, either. Mamukelashvili really started making waves last year with the Toronto Raptors. After bouncing around the league for a few seasons trying to find his footing, he exploded. He played in 80 games, finished 10th in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and put up career highs across the board: 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He was knocking down shots too, hitting 38.9% from deep and a ridiculous 64.2% inside the arc. The Lakers clearly took notice over the summer, because they handed him a four-year, $52 million deal. Talk about a commitment! He hasn’t been quite as efficient from beyond the arc so far this season, hitting 7-of-21 (33.3%), but his overall game is definitely helping juice up the Lakers’ attack.
The “Rare” Skillset That’s Making Noise
Lakers head coach JJ Redick is seriously hyping up Mamukelashvili, calling him a “really rare offensive player.” Redick explained to reporters how Mamukelashvili is an “advantage creator” and an “advantage finisher,” plus a “connector.” Think about it: if he’s guarded by a big five and can pick and pop into open space, that’s creating an advantage. He’s also super good at those follow-up plays and touch rolls, rolling behind the defense, which also creates advantages. Then, once he’s got that advantage, his quick 0.5-second decision-making, combined with his shooting and finishing ability, makes him an absolute threat to close out the play. And on top of all that, he’s a connector, linking plays together. Redick straight up said, “There’s very few offensive players that are all three of those things and he is.”
His super adaptable skillset means the Lakers can deploy him in a ton of different ways. He can stretch the floor or set screens off the ball. When Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves start breaking down defenses, Mamukelashvili can attack those closeouts. He can even be a playmaking hub himself, taking some of the creation pressure off Dončić and Reaves. There’s a lot to love, and we’ve already seen it on display early this year.
What’s Next for Mamukelashvili
Mamukelashvili gets his next chance to showcase all that versatility on Monday night at 7 p.m. when the Lakers face off against the Miami Heat. He’s already showing why the Lakers invested big in him, and continuing to prove that offensive rating bump is legit will be huge. Keep an eye on how he uses those “advantage creator” skills against the Heat!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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