Building The Los Angeles Lakers' Newest Starting 5 Through Sports Cards

The 17-time NBA championship-winning franchise completely revamped its depth chart over the offseason.

May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) dribbles down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most active franchises this offseason. From the departure of LeBron James and the entire starting lineup during their playoff series against the Houston Rockets to the blockbuster signing of Walker Kessler, among others, the Lakers have been busy.

With a fully revamped rotation and three new pieces expected to take their respective places in the starting lineup, the Lakers are now a mixed bag of big-name stars and up-and-comers once again.

To get acquainted with the LakeShow's projected starting rotation and a taste of their respective card markets, let's view the team through their respective top sales.

Point Guard - Luka Dončić

Apr 2, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) walks across the court | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LA is Luka's city now. LeBron's departure also became the passing of the torch for the franchise's newest cornerstone, and now Luka Dončić is the undisputed first option for the Lakers. He's one of the biggest names in all of basketball, and that's something that translated strongly in the sports card world.

2018-19 Panini Flawless Logoman Autograph 1/1 Luka Doncic | CardLadder

The most valuable Luka Dončić card of all time is also one of the most expensive basketball cards in history. This 1/1 Logoman RPA from 2018-19 Flawless Basketball fetched a whopping $4.7M last September, and it beat out the previous record by exactly $100,000.

Shooting Guard - Austin Reaves

Mar 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Robin to Luka's Batman, Austin Reaves is one of the few homegrown stars left on the Lakers' roster — and he's now one of their veterans as well. His 2025-26 season was his best by any and every metric since he first stepped foot in the league, but injuries really prevented him from shining to his fullest capacity.

2021-22 Prizm Black 1/1 Austin Reaves PSA 9 | CardLadder

Austin's most valuable card is in no way even comparable to that of Luka's, but for true collectors of both Reaves and Lakers players in general, that might be a good thing. His 1/1 Black RC from 2021 Prizm sold in a PSA 9 for $11,108 two years ago, and no card has come close since.

Small Forward - Quentin Grimes

Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) reacts after making a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quentin Grimes is one of those players you take in the mid-to-late rounds of a fantasy league draft as a reliable anchor when it comes to needing consistent output. His best season and a half was with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Lakers are now looking to get even more out of him as one of the possible starters.

2021-22 National Treasures Quentin Grimes 1/1 Logoman RPA BGS 8.5 AUTO 10 | CardLadder

Believe it or not, Grimes' most valuable card ever beats that of Reaves by a little over $1,000. His 1/1 Logoman RPA from 2021 National Treasures sold last November for $12,152 on Card Hobby's auction site.

Power Forward - Sandro Mamukelashvili

Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) celebrates his three-point basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the third quarter of game five | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sandro Mamukelashvili's been playing limited minutes throughout his career, but given how the Lakers' current roster is structured, that's about to change. LA's newest PF had his best and most efficient scoring season last year with only 13 games started and 22 MPG on average, and an improved role might just be what he needs to bump all his numbers up.

2021-22 Panini Black Shimmer Prizm Sandro Mamukelashvili RC 1/1 PSA 9 | CardLadder

Mamu isn't as well-known as everyone else on this list, and his sports card market definitely reflects that. $820 was the price paid for his 1/1 Black Shimmer RC from 2021 Prizm three years ago, and there really hasn't been anything else that could rival that number.

Center - Walker Kessler

Oct 22, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Lakers' blockbuster signing of the offseason was for the very position they'd really lacked in quality for the longest time. After four seasons with the Utah Jazz, Walker Kessler takes his talents to Los Angeles as their newest starting center with a four-year deal.

2022 Panini Contenders Walker Kessler Gold Vinyl Rookie Ticket Auto 1/1 PSA 10 AUTO 9 | CardLadder

The most valuable card with Kessler on it is a dual Logoman RPA with Ochai Agbaji, but his most coveted individual piece is this 1/1 Gold Vinyl Rookie Ticket Auto from 2022 Panini Contenders. Encased in a PSA 10 AUTO 9 slab, it sold in November 2023 for $5,632.46 and is still his most expensive individual card by far.