As the assorted new Lakers signees spoke to members of the media in Las Vegas on Monday, each of them turned toward a topic they will share regardless of their respective roles.
Luka Doncic’s influence, just by being on the court, will open fresh scoring scenarios for the likes of Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
“You got to know who you’re playing with, Luka – he sets you anywhere on the court,” Grimes, who is entering his sixth NBA season after he signed a four-year, $60 million contract (player option on the final year) with the Lakers, told ESPN Los Angeles over the radio. “Just need to make sure I’m in those corners, getting those corner 3s up. But also, I know I’ll have the ball in my hands a lot coming off pick-and-rolls, making plays.”
Grimes, 26, has steadily improved as a pro, averaging double-digits in scoring in consecutive seasons for the first time after contributing 13.4 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. He played in Dallas with Doncic during the first half of the 2024-25 season.
The 6-foot-4 combo guard told ESPN L.A. that his choice to join the Lakers was a “no-brainer,” adding that there had been mutual interest for some time – he has familiarity with Coach JJ Redick, forward Jarred Vanderbilt, team executive Kurt Rambis and Doncic – while team brass envisions Grimes having a pretty big offensive role and a “leadership role on the defensive end.”
Mamukelashvili – pronounced mah-moo-keh-lah-shivh-lee, per the American-Georgian big man – told reporters in Las Vegas that part of the reason he joined the team on a four-year, $52 million contract is due to his interest in basking in the spotlight rather than running away from playing in Crypto.com Arena.
The 6-9 left-handed post player, who also has a player option for the final season of his contract, averaged 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last season while shooting 38.9% from 3-point range. Mamukelashvili, 27, added that playing with “superstars” such as Austin Reaves and Doncic will make him a better player.
“What I got to do is just be coachable, listen to Coach JJ, understand my spots, understand how they want to play, which we really haven’t gone through yet,” said Mamukelashvili, who has a Kobe Bryant “24” tribute tattoo he said he got as inspiration during his sophomore season at Seton Hall. “We’re still kind of in the process. Just play the game, play hard, do the simple things, do the dirty stuff and just play.”
Sexton, compared to Grimes and Mamukelashvili, is amid a bit of a career reset. The 27-year-old guard was once seen as part of the future for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Utah Jazz at different stages of his eight-year career.
Now, Sexton told reporters in Las Vegas, he’s looking forward to having the chance to win, and shine with the Lakers.
“I definitely feel like it was super important, and finding a place where I can compete and not be at the crib in April right after the season ends,” said Sexton, who signed a two-year, $19 million contract with a player option. “And just talking to JJ, I can tell he believes in me, in my abilities and what I can bring to the team, and the energy that I feel like my energy can be contagious to this team.”
At his career peak – averaging 24.3 points per game as a second-year player with the Cavaliers, who selected him eighth overall in the 2018 NBA Draft – Sexton was seen as a leading scorer.
Sexton was a part of the Cavaliers’ immediate future following LeBron James’ decision to leave Cleveland for the Lakers in the summer of 2018. Now, Sexton joins the Lakers just as they begin their post-James era, something he joked about with reporters during his Monday introductory press conference. The 6-3 guard told reporters he watched former Lakers guards Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley as inspiration for how his game can evolve beyond scoring and into defensive improvement, along with making the little plays that often don’t show up in the box score.
Center Kevon Looney, guard Jaden Hardy and forward Ziaire Williams (a deal that is still not official) have yet to speak to the media since joining the Lakers, but the latter two have watched the summer league team play over the past week.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Grimes told ESPN L.A. “We’re going to surprise some people, for sure, how good we are clicking on all cylinders.”