After an NBA offseason of drastic changes for the 17-time NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers will get the regular season underway on Wednesday, hosting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.

Before the 2026-27 campaign officially begins for the purple and gold, I’ve come up with a few bold predictions for what I think will happen from the highly anticipated season opener until the final buzzer sounds down the road.

No. 5: Sandro Mamukelashvili Will Be in Sixth Man of the Year Conversation

One veteran newcomer that I’m particularly intrigued by is Sandro Mamukelashvili, who could end up being the steal of the offseason for the Lakers.

Mamukelashvili had a stellar preseason in which he showed what he’s capable of, and head coach JJ Redick would be wise to take advantage of everything the 28-year-old brings to the table for Los Angeles.

With Ziaire Williams potentially being named the starting power forward, Mamukelashvili might have to begin his stint with the Lakers off the bench.

Although I have lobbied for him to be a starter, as I think he’d thrive in that role playing alongside Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, Mamukelashvili will be a force to be reckoned with as the team’s sixth man. 

In fact, the Seton Hall product will make a strong case for NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

He’s versatile and will be a lethal weapon for Redick in the second unit, as a player who can shoot, pass and crash the glass.

Mamukelashvili, aka Mamu, will be a household name in Los Angeles before the season is over.

No. 4: Austin Reaves Becomes an NBA All-Star

If Austin Reaves hadn't gotten hurt and missed a significant amount of time last season, the undrafted guard could’ve ended up being an NBA All-Star. 

Reaves proved to be the ideal backcourt partner for Luka Doncic and took his game to another level, becoming one of the league's best scoring guards.

In 2026-27, Reaves will once again take his game to another level, health permitting. He’s extremely confident and has incredible chemistry with Doncic, which will be contagious among his new Lakers teammates, especially Kessler, who I also believe will elevate his game this year.

The primary concern for Reaves, and Doncic, for that matter, is the turnovers. 

If Reaves can clean that up and make some strides defensively, an All-Star bid will come to fruition.

No. 3: Walker Kessler Earns All-Defensive Honors

After missing all but five games last season with the Utah Jazz and signing a massive deal with the Lakers worth $130 million, Kessler has a lot to prove heading into his first season with the Lakers.

Along with re-signing Reaves, the Lakers’ top priority this past summer was upgrading the center position. Doncic wanted the team to bring in Kessler, and they accomplished that via a sign-and-trade, giving up two first-round draft picks and two first-round pick swaps.

That’s a big commitment and risk that the Lakers were willing to take on the 25-year-old rising star, but they feel he’s worth it, and so do I, as I see him being a game changer for Los Angeles.

The biggest impact from Kessler will be on the defensive end of the basketball floor. He’ll be the anchor of the defense in the paint and a prominent rim protector, which will completely change how the team plays on that end.

As a result of Kessler’s impact in Los Angeles, he’ll earn All-Defensive honors. First Team honors might be a stretch, with Victor Wembanyama likely being on that squad for the foreseeable future, but Second Team is within reach for the new Lakers center.

No. 2: Luka Doncic Will Win His First NBA MVP Award

It’s been a long time coming, but the 2026-27 season will be when Doncic finally separates himself from the pack of the league’s elite players and wins that elusive NBA MVP award.

Last season, Doncic turned it on in a big way, as he was virtually unguardable at times, especially during March when he was setting all sorts of franchise and career milestones on his way to winning a second scoring title.

Doncic will come into this season with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove after missing the end of last year due to a hamstring injury.

He’s officially the new face of the Lakers franchise, with the team going all in to build a winning squad around the talented scorer, which will only add to his confidence and motivation to put the league on notice.

Much like Reaves, if Doncic can stay, the sky is the limit, and an MVP award will be added to his trophy case at the end of the season.

No. 1: Lakers Finish With a Top-10 Defense

One of the main concerns for the Lakers over the last few years has been the defense and the team’s inability to compete with the best of the best in the league in that category.

However, I believe that the Lakers’ front office made the right moves this season to finally right the ship defensively, making Los Angeles a force to be reckoned with on that end of the floor.

A lot will rely on Kessler being as advertised to turn things around defensively, but he won’t be alone, as the additions of Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams will be huge to the team’s success in this area.

The Lakers will also get some help defensively from second-year forward Adou Thiero, who could see his role change significantly this season.

Although the team’s offensive potential has been one of the big storylines, with no lack of scoring options on this squad, in the end, the defense of the revamped roster might be what steals the show and ultimately makes the Lakers one of the most well-rounded teams in the NBA.

Buckle Up! 

The Lakers are in for an exciting season, with the team poised to shake things up in the Western Conference and potentially have some players in contention for some regular-season awards.