Oct 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Austin Reaves (15) on the court during the first half the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Austin Reaves (15) on the court during the first half the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
After losing LeBron James this summer, along with several key members of their supporting cast, the Los Angeles Lakers are being overlooked by much of the NBA community. Compared to the Thunder, Spurs, and Timberwolves, most critics agree that the Lakers just don’t have enough talent, but they like what they have.
While they may not be the most stacked roster in the league, the Lakers believe they can still contend as currently constructed, thanks to the leadership of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. In a recent chat with reporters, Lakers newcomer Sandro Mamukelashvili spoke about Luka’s impact specifically, and how his skill set makes his job so much easier.
“When Luka has the ball, you see everybody’s on their toes defensively, everybody wants to make sure he gets off it,” Kelashvili said. “But he’s such a good ball handler. He controls the game, he’s got his own pace. So it makes it so much easier for shooters. All you have to do is just stay there, and he’s going to find you.”
Luka isn’t one of those selfish athletes. With a career stat line of 29.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 46.9% shooting from the field, he’s someone who can stuff the stat sheet while also setting up his teammates. As Sandro explained, his ability to run the floor and create his own shot makes him a premium offensive threat.
Now, more than ever, Doncic has embraced his leadership role, and he’s taken big steps to set the tone early. Last month, for example, he orchestrated his own minicamp in Slovenia to build rapport with his teammates. He’s also making an effort to be more vocal on the floor, which has not gone unnoticed.
But the burden of leadership falls on more than just Doncic’s shoulders this season. After signing a massive four-year, $185 million extension this summer, Austin Reaves will also have to step up. Fortunately, Mamu says he’s easy enough to follow with his more positive approach.
“He plays so freely,” Mamu said in a recent press conference. “He’s such an easy guy to talk to. You can always go up to him and ask him questions. He has a very good leadership tendency. He also gives you motivation. Before every game, he comes up to me and tells me to play my game. It’s cool having him.”
Drafted in 2021, Sandro has five years of NBA experience across three different teams. Last season’s stint with the Raptors, however, was his absolute best, with averages of 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 52.3% shooting from the field.
Believing he could fill their thin frontcourt rotation, the Lakers picked him up early this summer, dreaming of his two-man potential with Luka Doncic. While we have yet to see him in action, he’s saying and doing all the right things in a way that proves he’s the perfect fit for this team. Now, it’s up to the Lakers duo to lead him where he’s rarely been before: deep into the playoffs with a chance to win it all.