Few teams endured the offseason makeover that the Los Angeles Lakers did this summer. Eight of their top 12 guys in total minutes played from 2025-26 are no longer on the roster. And as a result, the Lakers are 6-2 and look like a real threat in the West for the first time in some time.

With so many new faces, it seems appropriate to check the inventory and see how the offseason additions are performing thus far.

Walker Kessler

Luka Dončić always does his best work when he has a true rim-running, paint-protecting big man by his side. Walker Kessler is about as good as you can get in this department. Forget how much they paid him or how much they gave up to get him. Kessler is everything the Lakers could have dreamed of.

Outside of the team's two best players (Dončić and Austin Reaves), no one on the Lakers has a higher on/off rating than Kessler, who improves the team's net rating by 11.2 points per 100 possessions with his presence on the floor (per Cleaning the Glass). A big part of this is Kessler's impact on the defensive side of the ball. When he's out there, the Lakers go from very flawed to pretty good (68th percentile) on that end of the floor. It's still early, but the gamble the Lakers took on Kessler seems to be paying off.

Grade: A

Sandro Mamukelashvili

Sandro Mamukelashvili was brought in after a strong 2025-26 campaign with the Toronto Raptors to be the Lakers' version of Naz Reid -- a skilled bench big who can operate as either the four or five.

Mamukelashvili hasn't been able to fill the team's need for a backup five. He isn't a strong enough rim protector to help keep their defense respectable. However, his blend of size and skill does give the Lakers the option to play some double-big lineups. When him, Dončić, Kessler, Reaves, and Quentin Grimes are out there together (50 possessions), the Lakers are elite on both sides of the ball, outscoring teams by 25.9 points per 100.

This is just a small sample, and Mamukelashvili still feels like more of a luxury on a team that has glaring holes to patch up. So, can't say he's been as much of a success as someone like Kessler, though.

Grade: B+

Quentin Grimes

Grimes was one of my favorite offseason adds by the Lakers, as he gave the team another essential ingredient to the Dončić experience: a dynamic 3-and-D wing. Unfortunately, so far, he hasn't really popped.

Grimes' three ball isn't falling, his scoring rates are down, and he hasn't even done enough to prove he needs to start for head coach JJ Redick, despite being healthy to start the season. The team is better defensively when he is on the floor, but that's probably because half of his minutes have been shared with Kessler. I'm still holding out hope that Grimes becomes one of the best newbies of this bunch, but so far, he's been just okay.

Grade: C

Collin Sexton

Collin Sexton is another guy I was really excited about, as I thought his bench scoring and unmatched intensity would help the Lakers eat some innings in the regular season. Thus far, his on/off splits are rough, and his scoring and efficiency are down. However, I still think we haven't seen the true benefit of bringing Sexton yet, and we won't really see why he's around until one of their two stars is inevitably forced to miss some time.

Grade: C-

Matisse Thybulle

For years, Matisse Thybulle has been one of the most effective per-minute defenders in the association. The problem was that his offense was so detrimental that it was hard to keep him on the floor against good teams. Thybulle deserves some credit, though. He wasn't content to keep collecting paychecks as a defensive specialist, and he's quietly been building out his offensive arsenal to be a better shooter and driver.

This year, Thybulle is shooting 45.9% from three, on volume that ranks in the 69th percentile leaguewide (per Dunks & Threes). Thybulle won't keep hitting almost half the threes he takes, but the jumper looks so much more fluid and replicable. Plus, he's been healthy enough to start every game for the Lakers up to this point (*knocks wood*). For someone the Lakers got for the veteran minimum, you can't do much better than this.

Grade: A-

Ziaire Williams

Ziaire Williams has failed to live up to the hype surrounding a former 10th overall pick, but the Lakers did well to take a flyer on him this offseason. He hasn't been as effective as Thybulle, but he's done enough to be the team's fifth starter (when he's been healthy), and Williams is hitting his shots (first on the team in true shooting among players who have played at least 100 total minutes). Again, another low-cost, medium-reward pickup by the Lakers.

Grade: B-

Kevon Looney & Jaden Hardy

I'm grouping Kevon Looney and Jaden Hardy together because they are both fringe rotational players who shouldn't be playing real roles if/when the Lakers make it to the postseason. Neither of them has played much, or been very good, which was to be expected.

Grade: D

Cameron Carr

While by no means a draft afficionado, I was super excited when the Lakers took Cameron Carr with the 24th overall pick. However, he's literally only played two minutes for the Lakers this season, and given his amatuer status, it doesn't feel right trying to scrutinize him.

Grade: incomplete