​The Los Angeles Lakers completed a busy stretch of free agency on Tuesday, publicly confirming the signings of Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili while finalizing a trade that sent Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks (2021 and 2022). The transactions formally cap a period of rapid roster reshaping, as eight players departed from last season’s squad.
Grimes headlines the Lakers’ additions, returning a familiar connection with Luka Dončić while carving out a new role in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old guard-forward arrives after a season with the Philadelphia 76ers in which he averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists over 75 games. Grimes showed scoring bursts with 15 games of at least 20 points and connected on three or more three-pointers in 20 outings. A career 36% shooter from beyond the arc, Grimes brings an established outside shot and playmaking capability to the Lakers, reuniting with Dončić, who he previously played alongside in Dallas. Grimes will don the No. 5 jersey for Los Angeles.
Mamukelashvili, a versatile forward who had a breakout season with the Toronto Raptors, is the Lakers’ other notable early addition. The 27-year-old posted a career-best 11.2 points and 4.9 rebounds across 80 games last season with Toronto, providing value as a 6-foot-9 stretch forward who can stretch the floor and defend multiple positions. His ability to play both the four and five positions alongside Dončić and Austin Reaves adds a flexible frontcourt dimension to the Lakers’ lineup. Known by the nickname “Mamu,” Mamukelashvili shot 52.3% from the field, 39% from three, and 64% on two-pointers last season, showing enough efficiency to be a reliable floor-spacer. The native New Yorker earned seven games with at least 20 points and reached double figures in 49 of 80 appearances. Mamukelashvili will wear No. 54 for the Lakers.
The team also completed the trade that sends Deandre Ayton to Washington, in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks (picks slated for 2031 and 2032). Hardy, who played 57 games between the Wizards and Dallas Mavericks last season, averaged 9.2 points in roughly 16 minutes per game. The 24-year-old has career averages of 8.4 points per game across four NBA seasons and is a 38.6% career three-point shooter. Hardy will wear No. 7 for the Lakers.
Together, these signings and the Ayton trade underscore a clear shift in the Lakers’ trajectory, signaling a move away from the LeBron James era toward a Dončić-led framework. The roster overhaul represents a complete reimagining of the squad, aiming to optimize Doncic’s function as a floor leader and playmaker while surrounding him with versatile shooters and multi-positional wings. The Lakers’ approach emphasizes spacing, pace, and flexible frontcourt combinations, attempting to maximize Dončić’s playmaking while leveraging Grimes’ shooting, Mamukelashvili’s size and stretch ability, and Hardy’s scoring punch off the bench. As the new core begins to take shape, Los Angeles looks to balance veteran presence with young talent, hoping to accelerate team continuity and on-court chemistry through a condensed training camp and preseason schedule.