Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we start with a look at the team’s three two-way players, Chris Mañon, Arthur Kaluma and AK Okereke.
Throughout his brief tenure with the Lakers, head coach JJ Redick has been more than willing to give two-way players a chance.
Last season, it was Nick Smith Jr. who stepped up early in the season to help win a game and, eventually, earn a regular contract at the end of the season. Drew Timme also saw a stretch in the rotation in the middle of the season to help with the team some games. In Redick’s first season, Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko got plenty of playing time, particularly after the Luka Dončić trade.
That foundation leads to optimism that a pair of intriguing two-way options for the team this season in Chris Mañon and Arthur Kaluma could find their way onto the court. Both were not just part of the surprisingly fun Summer League Lakers, but standouts.
Both also possess unique skill sets not seen elsewhere on the team’s roster. Is that enough of a path to lead them to minutes this season? And can the team’s third two-way player, AK Okereke, find his footing in the G League and blossom into the team’s next diamond in the rough?
What is his best-case scenario?
Chris Mañon
Defensively, Mañon has been league-ready since last season. The questions have largely centered on the other side of the court. At Summer League, Mañon had some promising offensive flashes.
If he’s able to hit threes at a league-average rate, excel off the ball as a cutter and weakside playmaker or be able to get downhill and finish at the rim, then things become more interesting. He very well may be the team’s best perimeter defender and if he can survive offensively, he wouldn’t be far removed from a standard contract.
Arthur Kaluma
Kaluma’s advantage this season is the gaping hole at the forward spot in the starting lineup and rotation overall. Multiple players are going to get chances in that position, with Kaluma likely one of them. If he can prove in the preseason and training camp that Summer League wasn’t a flash in the pan, then I think there’s a real chance he gets a chance in the regular season.
The Lakers need front court bodies. Kaluma is a big that can stretch the floor and still be physical. If he can make that work in real NBA minutes, then it’s going to be hard to keep him off the floor.
AK Okereke
Even in the most glass-half-full outlook, it’s hard to see Okereke doing much more than developing in the G League this season. He also had moments in Summer League, but they were much shorter and surrounded by a lot more examples of the development he needs.
That being said, fellow two-way signee Kaluma painted a pretty clear picture of how to spend a year behind the scenes developing and turn that into an opportunity.
What is his worst-case scenario?
Chris Mañon
This is pretty obvious, but everything about Mañon’s playability hinges on his offense. If he can’t find his shot and struggles without the ball in his hands, then it’s going to be hard to keep him on the floor, no matter how good he is defensively.
As much as the Lakers need defense, Redick has shown that there aren’t many minutes to be had even for good defenders if it’s 4-on-5 on the other end of the floor.
Arthur Kaluma
What if Kaluma’s strong summer was just a hot streak? He wouldn’t be the first player to play well in Las Vegas and then struggle months later when the games actually matter.
No one is expecting him to hit threes at the insane clip he did in Summer League, but if he becomes someone who can’t space the floor and teams don’t respect him from the perimeter, then most of his value is lost. Suddenly, he can’t drive by defenders on hard closeouts or splash home open threes.
And matched up against NBA forwards, the speed and intensity can overwhelm guys. If Kaluma can’t adjust on that end, then he’s not just another Laker who can’t defend, but one who can’t at least make up for it on the other end.
AK Okereke
It’s no secret that Okereke is the two-way signing closest to the chopping block. That adds a small sense of urgency to his development.
If he isn’t coming along early or another, more intriguing option comes along, then it’s unlikely the Lakers would hesitate to part ways with Okereke and use his two-way spot on someone else.
It wouldn’t spell the end of Okereke even in the Lakers’ system, but it would put more pressure on him to find his role in the league.
What is his most likely role on the team?
With how preseason games typically shake out, there’s going to be real chances for Kaluma and Mañon, specifically. As guys rest and rotate through games, those two are likely going to be some of the guys who benefit from some extra minutes with the actual rotation players.
If they can impress in those outings, then I think there’s also a real chance they get opportunities in actual games, too. For both, it feels like a strong preseason could parlay into minutes in the season. Otherwise, they’ll be playing from behind and have to wait for an opportunity to open up.
As for Okereke, his two-way spot is far from secure. One wave of injuries to the parent Lakers or an unexpected roster cut — a la Smith Jr. last year — could mean his two-way contract is gone.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
