LOS ANGELES - Walker Kessler’s Lakers debut comes with bigger expectations than the usual first game in a new uniform, and JJ Redick isn’t hiding the ceiling he sees.
When the Lakers open their 2026-27 season Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors, Kessler will make his first career appearance for Los Angeles in a game that counts. He got a taste of the new setting in the final two preseason games, but now the results matter, and the adjustment is only beginning.
Redick said Monday that the Lakers are asking Kessler to handle responsibilities that were not part of his usual workload with the Utah Jazz. That makes the process more gradual, even if the long-term upside is obvious to the coach.
“We’ve got to take a bigger picture approach of certain things. The same way we got to take a bigger picture approach with Cam and Adou, the same thing with Walker,” Redick said following Lakers’ practice on Monday.
“He’s never played with a player like Luka [Doncic] before. He’s never really been tasked with being the anchor of the defense.
These are things we think he can be, All-Star level. It’s gonna take time, it’s gonna be a process with him.”
Kessler’s first unofficial showing with Los Angeles came in the fourth preseason game in Las Vegas against the Warriors, when he posted 11 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot in 16 minutes. In the final preseason game, he had six points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one blocked shot.
Those two outings gave a glimpse of what Redick means by process. The first looked closer to the production the Lakers will want from him regularly, while the second reflected the ups and downs that can come with development, especially for a player who has been short on game action.
Kessler played only five games last season because of a shoulder injury, so he is not just adjusting to a new role. He is also getting back into the rhythm of competitive basketball. On top of that, he’s doing it in Los Angeles, where the franchise’s history with dominant big men is part of the backdrop and the fanbase has rarely been known for patience with young players.
For Kessler, who is 25, handling that pressure starts with how he frames the moment.
“Yeah, you definitely have to remind yourself. But I think it’s just depending on how you look at it.
You can look it at from two perspectives,” Kessler said after Lakers’ practice on Monday. “I think the more energy you give, the positive perspective of looking at the opportunity, the less time you spend worrying about the pressure.”
Kessler’s career averages stand at 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.4 blocked shots, with a shooting efficiency of 68.1 percent. Over the past two seasons, even while dealing with injury issues, he has averaged double figures in scoring and rebounding.
That’s why Redick keeps circling back to the same idea: there’s more there, and the job now is to bring it out without rushing the timeline.
“I’ve always been a big believer in you got to do what you do, you’ve got to learn,” Kessler said. “My rookie year, I came in the league just trying to learn.
Learn as much information as I could to try and get better. So for me, I’m just gonna try to get better every day.”
In Other News...
Austin Reaves Had The Perfect Reaction To LeBron In Sixers Gear
LeBron James in a different uniform is still the kind of sight that stops a room, and Austin Reaves had the sort of reaction plenty of Lakers fans probably felt when they saw it. After James left Los Angeles in free agency to join a 76ers group built around Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown, the former Lakers teammate took in the preseason look and made it clear the image still carries some shock value.
For Reaves, the moment lands with a little extra weight because the Lakers are moving on without James and asking him to handle a bigger offensive load this season. James, meanwhile, is chasing another championship chance in Philadelphia, which only makes the transition more striking from Los Angeles side. Even in a preseason setting, seeing a familiar face in a new jersey is the sort of thing that lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Face A Porzingis Problem They May Not Solve Soon
Kristaps Porzingis future with the Warriors has quickly become one of those situations that hangs over a roster even before a move is made. After signing a two-year contract extension, he has recently been away because of an autoimmune disorder called POTS, leaving Golden State to navigate a major uncertainty around a player who was supposed to factor into its plans.
The Warriors have started looking into trade possibilities, but there does not appear to be an immediate solution on the horizon. For now, the more realistic outcome is that Porzingis stays put while the team waits to see how his basketball future develops, a reminder that some roster questions are bigger than the transaction window. [Read more 🡒]
Bronny James Just Drew More Pressure Than Lakers Fans Wanted
Bronny James rough start has already become part of the conversation around the Lakers before the regular season even settles in. During NBA Opening Night, comedian Tracy Morgan, a lifelong Knicks fan, publicly took aim at the young guard, adding another layer of attention to a player whose preseason has already drawn scrutiny for low scoring and shooting struggles.
The noise around James is especially notable because it is not just coming from outside the building. Lakers coach JJ Redick has also acknowledged the issues in his preseason play, which only heightens the sense that the evaluation is happening in real time. For a player still trying to find his footing, the pressure around every minute he gets is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]