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.
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season → come → team
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.
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that → include → Thiero
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.
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they → be → rotation
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:
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season → start → month
Doncic and Reaves are the Lakers’ star players, and were the league’s highest-scoring duo during the 2025-26 regular season.
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Doncic → score → 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.
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Lakers → send → him
They didn’t make that investment to bring him off of the bench.
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They → make → bench
Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are sharpied as starters.
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Doncic → sharpie → starters
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.
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Grimes → pay → July
And his complementary skills as a shooter and point-of-attack defender fill the needs the team has around their three marquee players.
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team → fill → players
Not only is Grimes a lock for the rotation, but it’s a safe bet he’ll be a starter, too.
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he → ’ → rotation
The choices for the Lakers’ fifth starting spot has been covered extensively, and LaRavia should be the player who slides that into slot.
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who → cover → 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.
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one → play → starters
It’s clear he won the trust of the Lakers’ coaching staff.
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he → ’ → staff
And at 25 years old, he has room to grow as a player.
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he → have → player
His familiarity with Doncic and Reaves helps, too.
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familiarity → help → Doncic
The Lakers made a significant investment in Mamukelashvili, signing the 6-foot-9 big man to a four-year, $52 million contract.
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Lakers → make → contract
Redick mentioned in May that the team needed to improve with dribbling, passing and shooting.
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team → mention → dribbling
Outside of Doncic and Reaves, Sexton and Mamukelashvili provide the best combination of all three skills.
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Sexton → provide → skills
Williams, a lottery pick in 2021, has untapped potential entering his sixth season in the NBA.
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Williams → have → 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.
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Thybulle → be → games
The Lakers have used nine- and 10-men rotations under Redick.
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Lakers → use → Redick
If the plan is to have a 10-man rotation, there will be a fierce competition for the final spot.
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plan → have → spot
10th man contenders
Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Kevon Looney, Jarred Vanderbilt
Each player brings distinct strengths and weaknesses.
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player → bring → strengths
Vanderbilt is the best defender, but his lack of shooting can cramp the offensive spacing alongside a traditional big man.
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lack → cramp → man
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.
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that → remain → 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.
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Carr → provide → wings
Thiero is the best athlete but needs to refine his skills.
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Thiero → need → 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.
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Lakers → space → 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.
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Vanderbilt → contribute → 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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they → get → camp
The Aporia
