Bleacher Report projected Chris Mañon as one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ point-of-attack defenders for the 2026-27 NBA season, putting him in a defensive role that could come into play when JJ Redick needs help on the perimeter. The projection lands just as the Lakers were set to begin preseason on Monday in Sacramento against the Kings.
That matters because the Lakers are still trying to sort out two of their five starting positions, and the back end of the rotation is not settled either. Quentin Grimes is expected to fight for one of those open starting jobs, while Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić are expected to handle most of the offense in close games and Collin Sexton is lined up as the primary scoring reserve at point guard.
Chris Mañon is not being described as a centerpiece of the offense or a lock for major minutes. He is being framed as a defender Redick may use when necessary, which is a narrower path than the one facing Grimes or Sexton. That makes his role more conditional than fixed, and it also explains why his name shows up in a rotation projection rather than a finished lineup.
The larger picture is less tidy than the roster numbers suggest. The Lakers already have 16 players under standard contracts, one more than allowed for the regular season, yet the bench rotation is still being treated as wide open. Earlier this year, most of the roster was turned over, and Dalton Knecht now appears to be the odd man out at this early stage.
For Mañon, the question is not whether he is on the board at all. It is whether his defense is enough to earn him any regular minutes once preseason begins and Redick starts trimming options. Monday in Sacramento is the first test, and the answer will come from how often the Lakers actually need him, not from the projection alone.
