The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for the new season, with four of their five starting spots all but locked in, leaving only one starting position up in the air. The Lakers front office is carefully evaluating options, with the vacant spot possibly filled by an existing player or via a trade for a new addition. According to Lakers beat reporter Khobi Price, since the Lakers urgently need to decide on their starting power forward, this spot is expected to be handled by a wing player. Currently, four players are the most realistic candidates for this role: Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia, Ziaire Williams, and Matisse Thybulle.

　　▪️ He had a career season with the Toronto Raptors in the 2025-26 campaign, averaging 11.2 points on 52.3% shooting, plus 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks, all career highs. Price notes that the 6'9", 240-pound player has rare and impressive offensive skills for his size.

　　▪️ Jake LaRavia is one of only four players on the Lakers' current roster who ranked among the top 11 in total minutes played last regular season (alongside Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, etc.). Although his three-point percentage dropped to a career-low 32.1% last season, he still earned extremely consistent minutes, playing all 82 games and averaging a career-high 25.1 minutes per game.

　　▪️ Ziaire Williams recently told the Southern California News Group that he has actively gained weight, increasing from 185 pounds last season to "about 215 pounds." This physical upgrade is expected to give him better physicality than before, making him more reliable in defending larger forward players.

　　▪️ Although Matisse Thybulle has only played 45 regular-season games over the past two seasons due to injuries and other factors, he remains one of the most destructive perimeter defensive anchors in the league. At 6'5" and 202 pounds, he has an incredible 7-foot wingspan, paired with outstanding hustle and reflexes, making his defensive threat undeniable.

　　Who is the most likely to win the spot? In Price's assessment, 24-year-old Jake LaRavia is the most likely to secure this starting spot. Price analyzed: "Jake LaRavia may not have as diverse offensive tools as Sandro Mamukelashvili, nor is his perimeter defense as good as Matisse Thybulle's; but his overall defense is better than Mamukelashvili's, and his experience defending big forwards is more extensive than Thybulle's." If the Lakers ultimately don't choose to promote one of these four players internally, trading for reinforcements is another option. The report names several potential trade targets, including P.J. Washington, De’Andre Hunter, and Kyle Kuzma. If the Lakers can successfully acquire any of these players, it will undoubtedly directly lock in this final starting spot. Especially P.J. Washington, who already proved himself as a playoff-caliber starting-caliber player during his time with the Dallas Mavericks.