LOS ANGELES – When the Los Angeles Lakers traveled up north to face off against the Sacramento Kings last Sunday, they lost both Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent due to injury during the game. As a result, two-way contract rookie Chris Mañon saw his first NBA minutes. Lakers head coach JJ Redick opted to play the rookie in the third quarter, and it may be a sign of things to come at various points this season.
Prior to the Lakers’ game against the Portland Trail Blazers last Monday, JJ Redick admitted that Mañon is a player he does want to try and find opportunities for at times this season.
“I think he has the opportunity to be an elite, on-ball defender. We’ve seen that everyday in the gym. He’s developing as a shooter. He’s surprised me with just his decision-making and ball-handling and being able to just play second actions,” Redick said. “I asked him very early in the summer, when we had him in the gym for a couple of weeks, did you play any pick and roll in college? He’s like ‘not a single possession.’
There’s a basketball player there, and we’re going to try to develop that,” Redick continued. “And part of that development is looking for opportunities for him to play in NBA games.”
Mañon played a little over two minutes against the Kings, going scoreless and grabbing one rebound. The next night against the Blazers, he played four minutes and also grabbed a single rebound without taking any shots.
But what has been apparent is his confidence and his defensive awareness. There was one play where Blazers wing Toumani Camara seemed to have a wide-open look at a corner three-point shot. But Mañon recovered perfectly to get back to the corner and deny the shot attempt.
On a two-way contract, Mañon is limited to only 50 NBA games during the regular season, and he will not be eligible for the playoffs unless the Lakers end up converting his contract to a standard deal. However, unless the Lakers’ injury woes continue, it’s likely he does not come close to using up his maximum number of games.
Mañon will get plenty of opportunities this season to develop in the G League with South Bay. The Lakers scooped him up on a two-way contract after he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft. Sunday’s game against the Kings was the first time LA saw him in actual NBA game action as he recovered from an ankle injury during Lakers training camp.
