Some players sign a deal with a new team in free agency and start immediately envisioning how they will fit in with their new teammates. Others black out and start celebrating in a diner parking lot while listening to Snoop Dogg.
We’ll let you guess which one Sandro Mamukelashvili did.
On Thursday, Mamu had a breakout game — as much as one can break out in a preseason contest — in the team’s home preseason opener against the Kings. Ideally, it was the first look at how he’ll fit alongside Austin Reaves
and Luka Dončić, providing a bit of everything to complement the team’s stars.
After the game, Mamu was asked if he envisioned this being his role in Los Angeles. His response was the funniest answer possible.
“When the free agency stuff went down, I think I blacked out,” Mamu said. “I didn’t really think of anything. I was like ‘What just happened?’ and we were just running around the parking lot at this diner in New Jersey just going crazy. I had a Snoop Dogg song on, so it was good.”
For the record, he later clarified the song was “Purp & Yellow,” a remix of Wiz Khalifa’s “Black & Yellow.” After some laughs and jokes, though, he did talk about watching tape after getting done celebrating in a parking lot.
“I didn’t do too much thinking back then, but of course then you start watching film, trying to see how you fit in and it’s amazing,” Mamu said. “I kind of envisioned myself, as I said, like they have so much gravity, Luka and [Austin]. I just imagined myself being open and making sure I knock down my threes or get the ball and push because a lot of times Luka and Austin are denied. And also just making sure I’m the connector.
“I just want to be a guy you can trust. I don’t want to be a liability. I’m working on them, watching a lot of film and I just got to work on that.”
Mamu is still just 27 years old and is stepping into the biggest role of his career. There’s going to be a learning curve, but he’s certainly still young enough to grow into that role and become a key contributor.
If he’s able to do that, then he really raises the ceiling of this Lakers team. And if he everything works out great, he’ll eventually be celebrating to Snoop Dogg on a championship parade with the purple and gold.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
