The Lakers' training camp roster went from nineteen to twenty this week when Anton Watson signed on, and the outlets that cover this team are already arguing over who survives the cut to fifteen. It is the kind of roster noise that fills the days before a single preseason possession is played.
Twenty Names, Fifteen Spots
Anton Watson signed an Exhibit 10 contract on September 18, a move confirmed within hours by Lakers.com, Hoops Rumors' Rory Maher and Lakers Nation's Daniel Starkand. It pushes training camp to twenty players, and Lakers Nation's Corey Hansford is already asking who gets cut to reach the fifteen-man limit, while a separate roundtable at the same outlet debated who starts at the five. No trades or waivers have followed Watson's signing, so both questions stay open until camp sorts them out.
The Modern Big Question
Silver Screen and Roll's Nicole Ganglani asked whether Sandro Mamukelashvili has become the modern big this frontcourt needs, and last season's numbers make a real case: 80 games played, 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and a 38.9 percent mark from three, the kind of stretch shooting a five needs to space the floor. Walker Kessler, the $30.2 million addition up front, played only five games last season, too thin a sample to settle anything. Darius Soriano posed a similar question at the same outlet about Collin Sexton, whether he is more than a luxury off the bench; Sexton averaged 15.4 points on 40.1 percent shooting from three last season, numbers that already answer it.
Doubt From Outside
Not every voice on the beat is sold. Lakers Nation's Matt Borelli reported that Michael Porter Jr. does not believe the Lakers have a championship-contending roster, and Corey Hansford noted that Luol Deng said he regrets signing with the team back in 2016. Neither claim squares cleanly with the record on file: a 53-29 mark and a plus-1.5 net rating last season, and a $201.3 million payroll that sits past the tax line, built for contention now, not apology later.
Did the Lakers sign Anton Watson?
Yes, Watson signed an Exhibit 10 contract on September 18, reported by Lakers.com, Hoops Rumors and Lakers Nation, bringing training camp to twenty players.
Is Sandro Mamukelashvili the Lakers' starting center?
It is undecided; beat writers are debating the fifth starter spot, and Mamukelashvili's 38.9 percent three-point shooting last season is part of the case for him at the five.
More from The Marquee
all Lakers news →
Player focus · Fri, Sep 18Austin Reaves and the Weight of a $41.2 Million Vote of Confidence
Morning · Fri, Sep 18Anton Watson Joins a Camp Already Crowded and Already Over the Line
Cap watch · Thu, Sep 17Building Around a $49.8M Superstar Comes at a Price
The big question · Thu, Sep 17The Defense Now Decides How Far Dončić Can Take the Lakers
Morning · Thu, Sep 17Adam Silver Vouches for Walter as a Second Lakers Sale Looms
From the archives · Wed, Sep 16The Blueprint Every Laker Star Has Followed, Now Dončić's Turn