When it comes to the Lakers’ lineup rotation for 2026-27, it’ll look a lot different for the team and coach JJ Redick compared to when the 2025-26 season ended just a few months ago.
After an offseason roster reconstruction, over half of the players on the Lakers’ roster (nine players) will be new faces.
And that doesn’t include younger players looking to fight for more playing time, such as second-year forward Adou Thiero and third-year guard Bronny James.
While there are multiple players guaranteed to be featured in the Lakers’ rotation as long as they’re healthy and available, there are still several spots to fill.
In light of training camp starting next week, and preseason games kicking off in 1 ½ weeks, here is the California Post’s best projection for what the Lakers’ rotation will look like once the regular season tips off in a month:
Starting lineup locks
Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are locks to start as the Lakers’ star players. NBAE via Getty Images
Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler
Let’s get the easy decisions out of the way.
Doncic and Reaves are the Lakers’ star players, and were the league’s highest-scoring duo during the 2025-26 regular season.
In addition to sending the Jazz two unprotected first-round draft picks and two protected first–round picks, the Lakers are paying Kessler at least $30 million in each of the next few seasons after having interest in him the last few years.
They didn’t make that investment to bring him off of the bench.
Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are sharpied as starters.
Fourth, fifth starters for Lakers
Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia
From investment and skillset standpoints, the expectation is Grimes will be a Day 1 starter.
Grimes will be the Lakers’ fourth-highest paid player this season ($13.9 million salary) after signing a four-year, $60 million contract in July.
New Lakers guard Quentin Grimes should be a starter because of his skills and the investment the franchise made to sign him. NBAE via Getty Images
And his complementary skills as a shooter and point-of-attack defender fill the needs the team has around their three marquee players.
Not only is Grimes a lock for the rotation, but it’s a safe bet he’ll be a starter, too.
The choices for the Lakers’ fifth starting spot has been covered extensively, and LaRavia should be the player who slides that into slot.
He played in all 82 regular season games for the Lakers in 2025-26, but started nearly half of the season when one (or multiple) of the regular starters were sidelined. It’s clear he won the trust of the Lakers’ coaching staff. And at 25 years old, he has room to grow as a player. His familiarity with Doncic and Reaves helps, too.
Jake LaRavia should be the Lakers’ fifth starter. NBAE via Getty Images
Rotation locks
Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle
The Lakers made a significant investment in Mamukelashvili, signing the 6-foot-9 big man to a four-year, $52 million contract. He’ll be the first or second option off of the bench for the power forward or small-ball center looks.
Sexton will be the Lakers’ top guard off of the bench.
Redick mentioned in May that the team needed to improve with dribbling, passing and shooting.
Collin Sexton (left) and Jake LaRavia (right) should be locks for the Lakers’ regular rotation. REUTERS
Outside of Doncic and Reaves, Sexton and Mamukelashvili provide the best combination of all three skills.
Williams, a lottery pick in 2021, has untapped potential entering his sixth season in the NBA.
Thybulle is the Lakers’ best perimeter defender, even if there are questions about his durability after playing a combined 45 regular season games the last two seasons.
The Lakers have used nine- and 10-men rotations under Redick.
If the plan is to have a 10-man rotation, there will be a fierce competition for the final spot.
10th man contenders
Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Kevon Looney, Jarred Vanderbilt
Each player brings distinct strengths and weaknesses.
Vanderbilt is the best defender, but his lack of shooting can cramp the offensive spacing alongside a traditional big man.
Jarred Vanderbilt should have a legitimate shot at being in the Lakers’ rotation as the 10th man. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Looney remains a high-level screener and rebounder, but he’s coming off of playing 21 regular season games for a Pelicans team that chose to have multiple big men ahead of him in the depth chart.
Carr is the best shooter of the group and provides vertical athleticism, but needs to get stronger to be a reliable defender on the wings.
Thiero is the best athlete but needs to refine his skills.
Mamukelashvili’s ability to be a floor-spacing center opens up an opportunity for Vanderbilt to be the swiss-army knife defender the Lakers would benefit from in the frontcourt next to Mamukelashvili.
Thiero may be the Lakers’ long-term focus, but Vanderbilt should be ready to contribute more to winning from Day 1 and be in the rotation to start the season.
There should be opportunities for Thiero and Carr to get minutes, but they’ll have to earn that playing time, starting with next week’s camp.
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