The Lakers may be ready to see Walker Kessler in game action, but the center’s injured finger is still the thing standing between him and Tuesday’s preseason meeting with the Golden State Warriors.
Kessler was hurt before Los Angeles’ first preseason game, and head coach JJ Redick said Saturday that the team has not locked in a decision on his availability. Redick said Kessler was at practice, but he did not take part in live work.
“I would say we're not committed to that. He definitely, he was in practice today.
No live today but he did everything else. So he was in for about half of practice.
We'll see tomorrow if he can do live and we'll see Monday. We'll probably do some live Monday but more of a teaching day and a film day.
So we'll see. I can't commit to that now,” Redick said.
Kessler, though, sounds ready when the staff gives the green light. He made it clear he wants to get back on the floor, especially after sitting out all of last season.
“Because I didn’t play last season, I’m like, ‘Ah, I want to play really bad.’ I’m ready to play but I trust the staff,” Kessler said.
The Lakers acquired Kessler as part of a major roster overhaul while trying to build a team that can contend for the NBA Finals. ESPN reported that Los Angeles landed the center from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030.
For now, the only real question is whether Kessler’s eagerness wins out over caution. The Lakers have had rebounding issues in the preseason without him, but the staff still has to decide whether Tuesday is the right time to bring him back or whether the safer move is to wait.
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The appeal is obvious for a team built on movement and decision-making, but it also highlights the pressure Kerr is trying to manage at center. Green remains central to everything the Warriors do, yet age and workload make it harder to ask him to anchor the middle every night, especially if Porziis is limited. The experiment may help Golden State discover a new wrinkle, but it also leaves the same familiar question hanging over the roster: who is going to stabilize the front line when the games count? [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have A Porzingis Concern They Can't Yet Explain
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For a Warriors group trying to sort out its rotation and build momentum, any extended absence from a player of Porzingis caliber is a real concern. Draymond Green has already offered support and well wishes as Porzingis recovers, but the bigger question remains unanswered for Golden State: how long this issue will linger, and what the next update will mean for the teams plans. [Read more 🡒]