Walker Kessler is finally set to make his preseason debut for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors, giving JJ Redick his first real look at a piece of the roster that’s been hard to evaluate because of injuries.
Kessler had missed the Lakers’ first three preseason games with an injured pinky finger, but that wait is over. According to Jovan Buha, he will suit up in purple and gold for the first time against Golden State at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
"JJ Redick said Walker Kessler is making his preseason debut tonight vs. Golden State."
That matters because Redick and his staff still haven’t had enough time to see what this revamped group actually looks like with Kessler anchoring the middle. His return should give the coaching staff a better sense of how the pieces fit, and it could also influence the starting lineup.
Redick has said multiple times that two starting spots remain open alongside Kessler, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He also noted earlier this week that the injuries have made lineup decisions especially difficult.
The Lakers have just two preseason games left. After Tuesday’s meeting with the Warriors, they’ll return home to face the Denver Nuggets in their finale on Oct. 16 at Crypto.com Arena.
Then comes the real deadline. The Lakers must trim their roster to the league maximum of 15 players and settle on a starting five before their season opener against Stephen Curry and company on Oct.
- With that in mind, these last two preseason games carry real weight for Redick’s decision-making.
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