This past summer, the hottest topic in Raptors Nation has been the Kawhi Leonard trade and its lengthy saga that followed — until finally, last week, everything was set in stone and made official. Aside from landing a ray of sunshine in Allen Graves on draft night and taking a quiet swing at a wily vet in Kyle Anderson, another key storyline of this 2026 Raptors offseason was Sandro Mamukelashvili’s future on this team.
Mamu had a less-than-stellar playoff showing against the Cavs, where his role was significantly reduced, and the numbers reflected it. He posted just 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in an average of 14.9 minutes over the seven-game series. His efficiency also took a dip, from a solid 52.3% field goal percentage and an impressive 38.9% from three in the regular season, to just 40.0% shooting overall and 28.9% from beyond the arc.
That spark plug three-point shooting from Mamu made him such a sneaky asset for Toronto to boast about during the season. Finding that spacing element from someone in the frontcourt was definitely a unique edge that set him apart from Jakob Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Scottie Barnes. But if Mamu couldn't knock down those big shots when needed, he's not exactly elite in other areas to justify a big role. Against the Cavs’ twin towers of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, he simply couldn’t hold his own on defense or rebounding, and in a highly-contested series — that effectively got Mamu run off the floor.
That takeaway, combined with the prevailing storyline I noticed prior to the playoffs (Mamu’s effectiveness against weaker competition but inconsistent against top-tier teams) only strengthened my rationale to move on from him in the offseason. He was sure to decline his $2.8 million player option and look for a payday elsewhere. With the Raptors’ already limited financial flexibility, retaining him was tough. When he eventually signed a four-year, $52 million deal with the Lakers early in 2026 free agency, I had no problem watching him walk for that new price and new home.
You gotta give Mamu credit for the stellar year he had in Toronto — betting on himself with modest deals to land his biggest NBA payday yet. But the Raptors learned firsthand that there’s only so far you can go with Sandro Mamukelashvili playing extended minutes in high-stakes games. He’s a solid regular-season bench guy, able to slot in as an emergency starter at the four or as a floor-spacing five-man, especially when his weaknesses can be covered by a strong defensive foundation with guys like Scottie Barnes or Collin Murray-Boyles.
In LA, though, the starting power forward spot still looks a little murky. I recently discussed this with Gerald Glassford of Lakers Fast Break podcast, and we agreed that this is a huge question heading into next year. Will it be Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, or Sandro Mamukelashvili? Since the Lakers paid a decent sum for Mamu, it probably makes sense to start him there.
Lakers could be forcing themselves into a wall with Sandro Mamukelashvili
But even if you pair him with Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, I’m not sure you want to start him night after night alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and the perhaps equally-questionable Quentin Grimes signing, just from a defensive liability standpoint. Los Angeles doesn’t exactly have their own versions of Scottie B or CMB to help cover defensively in the starting lineup.
Maybe it all clicks, and I’ll eat my words. You could also consider addressing some of those concerns by slotting in Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, or Jarred Vanderbilt instead. Just keep in mind, in this case from an offensive perspective (especially with Vando and Thybulle), those guys bring their own serious questions about effectiveness there.
I think it also boils down to what the Lakers will prioritize. I have no doubt Luka Doncic will be an absolute scoring force next season. Meanwhile, the Walker Kessler gamble and Austin Reaves’ continued ascent will remain huge talking points throughout the year. But the Mamu swing for LA is an important storyline to watch too — because they essentially locked in a guy who’s probably best suited for a reserve role and are likely going to push him into a bigger one.
The Raptors were clearly the first to catch wind of this, and while I’m sure they would’ve loved to bring Mamu back on a team-friendly deal, the Lakers clearly saw something in him that warranted a secure four-year deal. This upcoming season will be our first look at the Lakers’ keys fully in Luka Doncic’s hands, with LeBron James now out of the picture. Though, I’d still bet they’re aiming for the playoffs. And if you’re rolling out Sandro Mamukelashvili in the frontcourt there, Raptors Nation knows all too well that’s not exactly a high upside option cooking up for LA.
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