2026-27 Lakers Fantasy Preview
The Lakers assembled a team that (on paper) best supports Luka Doncic in the post-LeBron-James era. How will the new-look Lakers fare in the fantasy basketball landscape this season?
Luka Doncic, PG/SG
📊 Trend: ↔️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, REB, AST, STL, 3PM, FG%
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: Maintain his high-volume scoring without sacrificing FT%
💡 Quick Hits: Doncic has a lot to prove this season, and he will be carrying the Lakers squarely on his shoulders. He’s likely to be the league’s top scorer and will also produce a robust counting-stats floor.
❓ Big Question(s): Can Luka break into fantasy’s exclusive top-3 club?
🎯 Draft Range: 4
⭐ Fantasy Take: Luka will turn on beast mode as he tries to carry the Lakers to the playoffs. He has the talent and star power to pull it off, and we should expect some monster lines along the way.
Austin Reaves, PG/SG/SF
📊 Trend: ⬆️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, AST, FG%, FT%
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: More on-ball responsibility; cook as a secondary creator
💡 Quick Hits: Reaves’ 2025-26 season was limited due to a left calf strain
❓ Big Question(s): With Reaves increased role this season, what kind of fantasy production can we expect?
🎯 Draft Range: 18-25
⭐ Fantasy Take: Reaves is a stud whose stat line is just waiting for a bump in assists and steals to be an S-tier asset. As the Lakers’ true second option, Reaves could be in for an epic season.
Walker Kessler, C
📊 Trend: ⬆️
🗝️ Key Stats: REB, BLK, FG%, TO
⚠️ Risk: 🟠 Medium
🔓 Value Unlock: Stay healthy and capitalize on Luka’s interior playmaking.
💡 Quick Hits: Kessler is a great answer to Luka’s longtime request for a dominant center in the paint. A torn labrum abruptly ended Kessler’s season after five games. He has averaged 42.3 games played over the last three seasons.
❓ Big Question(s): Can Kessler stay healthy enough this season to deliver the fantasy value many managers are expecting?
🎯 Draft Range: 30-40
⭐ Fantasy Take: As a potential walking double-double who can flirt with two blocks per game, Kessler has great upside if he can stay healthy. He’s a risk-reward pick whose reward might just be too good to pass up this season.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, PF/C
📊 Trend: ⬆️
🗝️ Key Stats: REB, AST, 3PM, FG%, TO
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: Lean into his role as a floor-spacing big man
💡 Quick Hits: Mamukelashvili turned heads last season when he briefly started for the Raptors and looked good. He showed some range with his 1.4 3s per game, something the Lakers can use this season. He’s looked fantastic for Georgia in the FIBA WC qualifiers.
❓ Big Question(s): Can Mamu turn his offensive versatility into a consistent rotation role?
🎯 Draft Range: 100-110
⭐ Fantasy Take: Plain and simple, Mamukelashvili has everything going for him to produce a breakout campaign this season. He’s not a shot-blocking center, but he’s more of a finesse big who can hit 3s and has an underrated passing game.
Quentin Grimes, SG/SF
📊 Trend: ⬇️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, 3PM, FT%, TO
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: Be utilized as the Lakers’ 3rd scoring option regularly
💡 Quick Hits: Grimes’ role and lack of consistent playing time with the Sixers last season hurt his fantasy value. A fresh start on the retooled Lakers this season is a great opportunity for Grimes to deliver some solid production.
❓ Big Question(s): Will Grimes get enough usage with the Lakers this season so he can pop in fantasy?
🎯 Draft Range: 115-125
⭐ Fantasy Take: We’ve seen a glimpse of what a hot-shooting Grimes looks like. The fit is there. The opportunity is there. Will there be enough ball to share with him after Luka and Reaves have their fill?
Collin Sexton, PG
📊 Trend: ⬇️
🗝️ Key Stats: PTS, 3PM, FG%
⚠️ Risk: 🟢 Low
🔓 Value Unlock: Earn consistent sixth-man minutes off the bench
💡 Quick Hits: Sexton’s fantasy contributions are narrow and are heavily tied to his scoring efficiency. So he needs minutes and usage to convert opportunities into meaningful fantasy production.
❓ Big Question(s): Will a fresh start with the Lakers allow Sexton to have a fantasy resurgence this season? Will the minutes and usage be enough?
🎯 Draft Range: 125-135
⭐ Fantasy Take: Sexton can solve the Lakers’ bench-scoring issue, so the need for him to be productive is there. He’s a low-ceiling guard who doesn’t pass enough or steal enough, making his appeal very specific to teams who want FG% preservation late in drafts.
👀 Players to Watch: Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, Cameron Carr
