James Worthy Urges 4 Players to Step Up for Lakers Success

The Lakers know what they’re getting from Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. James Worthy thinks their season will be decided by everyone else.

On Byron Scott’s Fast Break, the Lakers legend was asked which players outside the core group of Doncic, Reaves, and Walker Kessler have to deliver for Los Angeles to compete in a crowded Western Conference. He named four, and one of them stood out above the rest.

"Mamu is a, he’s a X factor," Worthy said of Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Worthy has been praising him for a while. After the Lakers’ preseason finale against Denver, he told Spectrum SportsNet’s postgame show that the 6-foot-9 forward reminded him of Manu Ginobili, pointing to his left-handed craft, his ability to get into the lane and his physicality.

Mamukelashvili had 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists that night, and Worthy called him a potential “major, major asset” for the team.

In the episode recorded before the start of the regular season, Worthy also named Jake LaRavia. He said that the forward had changed his shot and could play multiple positions, given his size.

For the other two spots, he went with Quentin Grimes and one of Collin Sexton or Ziaire Williams.

"In today's league, you have to have somebody to go after some of these guards," Worthy said. "You have to have some dogs. We got some good bigs, but when you're going after Jaylen Brown's and the Shai's and guys like that, you have to have some guys that can muster up, get in your face, take up some of your oxygen."

He singled out Grimes specifically for his shooting, saying his ability to knock down threes while handling that defensive responsibility makes him a natural fit for the role Worthy described.

Why Worthy’s List Reflects the Lakers’ Real Roster Gap

Worthy's emphasis on perimeter toughness lines up with a weakness the LA Lakers have been candid about since the offseason overhaul that followed LeBron James' departure for Philadelphia.

Los Angeles brought in Walker Kessler, Grimes, Sexton and Mamukelashvili. They then added Matisse Thybulle and Williams specifically to address point-of-attack defense, an area Byron Scott himself has called one of the team's lingering question marks even while he criticized the offseason as overrated league-wide.

Williams in particular has emerged as a surprise camp standout. He is a 6-foot-10 wingspan that fits exactly the kind of long, physical defender Worthy says the roster needs against the East Conference and West Conference's top wings.

With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves locked in as the offensive engine, Worthy's larger point is that none of it matters if the supporting cast can't contest against the league's best perimeter scorers.

Four new names, barely tested together, are now carrying more weight than their modest profiles would normally suggest.

The Lakers have started the season 3-0. Their last matchup was a 132-123 road win against the Utah Jazz on Sunday. Luka Doncic led with a game-high 52 points, alongside eight rebounds and 10 assists.

Next is a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.