EL SEGUNDO — Walker Kessler futzed with the microphone stand – just minutes after Luka Doncic and Lakers coach JJ Redick had already spoken to the media – and yanked the neck of the apparatus way upward to the top of his 7-foot-2 frame.
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Kessler is their anchor. He is their center – and the cornerstone of how the Lakers plan on playing in the 2026-27 season. But Tuesday, the Lakers’ first day of training camp, was also a first for the 25-year-old, who spent his first four NBA seasons with the Utah Jazz.
First-day jitters for the new Lakers big man?
“There was!” Kessler exclaimed, mentioning the sensation creeping in during the team film session before the season-opening practice.
“In the theater room I was sitting in, I was like, ‘Why am I nervous right now?’” Kessler said. “But getting out there warming up, being with the guys, it all went away. The rest of it took care of itself.”
As far as the first day of practice was concerned, most Lakers players participated, save for a few – who Redick did not name – who are still working their way back to full-contact status later in the week and sat out of five-on-five action on Tuesday. But even those players, Redick said, were asking questions about the scheme – picking the brains of the coaching staff as they become accustomed to a new roster.
The practice, Doncic said, was “great.” Kessler reiterated those thoughts as well, bringing it back to the morning film session when he received a taste of what Redick has to offer during those study sessions.
“In film, I was ready to go fight somebody or something,” said Kessler, who signed a four-year, $130 million contract after joining the Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal with Utah during the offseason. “(Redick is) such a good motivator. He’s incredible. He’s really incredible. Having someone that’s done it for 15 years playing and now three years coaching, it’s easy to see why he’s so successful.”
Tuesday’s film session conversation revolved around the hero’s journey – which just last week, during their annual start-of-season press conference, Redick and President of Basketball Operations/GM Pelinka mentioned as a theme for the season.
Nine new players, many of whom mentioned their quick gelling process through Doncic hosting teammates in Slovenia, as well as offseason sessions at the El Segundo practice facility, took to the court as Lakers in an official practice capacity. Redick said he has three goals for training camp, with preseason games set to begin next Monday night with a road game against the Sacramento Kings.
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“Continue to establish our defensive principles, continue to establish our early offense, which has been our main priority for all of September, and then lastly, just get in great shape,” Redick said. “And so, we’ve gotten terrific buy-in over the last several weeks, and today was very additive to those three things.”
Pelinka and Redick stressed the importance of competition during training camp with the Lakers holding one player above their allowance of 15 guaranteed contract players and still having two starting spots up for grabs with Doncic, Kessler and guard Austin Reaves already positioned in the rotation as the team’s Big Three.
Redick called his new group of players “receptive and eager.”
“We had a lot of fun, a lot of teaching points,” Doncic said.
AT THE BUZZER
When it comes to forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili’s role on the Lakers, Redick said he’ll be asking the 27-year-old Georgian-American to fill a variety of them.
Redick referred to Mamukelashvili as an “offensive connector” when he’s on the court, having been used mainly as a stretch five during his five seasons in the league.
“I’ve said this to him in his free agency call and I think he repeated it yesterday, because he asked me, he said, ‘How do you see my role on this team?’” Redick said. “I said, ‘You’re a basketball player.’ He can fit in a number of places. I’m sure he’ll see minutes against certain teams at the five. He’ll play some on the wing.” …
Redick also addressed former assistant coach Bob Beyer’s retirement after the longtime NBA mind retired over the summer.
“It happened mid-August when I got back,” Redick said. “I understood the reasons why. I didn’t try to talk him out of it. He leaves on great terms with the Lakers and you know, I think what he did say to me was like, ‘I was basically retired, and then you asked me to do this with you, and I did it for two years, and now I’m ready to retire.’ But he’s a legend. We all love him. We’re so appreciative of everything you did for us.”
Beyer, 64, had coached since 1983 and became an NBA assistant coach in 2003, first crossing paths with Redick when he was a player for the Orlando Magic in 2007.
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