EL SEGUNDO — The Lakers’ first week of training camp is nearly complete as they turn their attention to a pair of preseason games in Northern California early this week.
When President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Rob Pelinka discussed the upcoming season during the annual preseason press conference on Sept. 24 he promised two things: a “highly competitive” training camp and a roster built around Luka Doncic, the franchise’s leading star.
Since Tuesday’s first training camp practice, those keys have been on display as Coach JJ Redick formulates his gameplan.
“We had six real practices, preseason last year,” Redick said Saturday. “This year we’ll have at least 12, plus a couple get-what-you need-days (non-mandatory practices). It’s just generally gonna be a more productive preseason training camp.”
As the Lakers look to their first preseason game on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings – a 7 p.m. tipoff at the Golden 1 Center – here are four takeaways from the first four practices with their new-look roster.
LUKA, THE LEADER
Redick didn’t scoff when he was asked about Doncic’s leadership and if the star was doing anything “extra.”
But the third-year head coach was quick to assert the obvious: the Slovenian star is putting in work as he grasps the reins of the team’s culture from LeBron James.
“I mean, he paid for a private plane for 14 guys or 16 guys to fly to Slovenia,” Redick said Thursday, referencing the offseason mini camp in Ljubljana, Slovenia. “That’s pretty extra.”
During individual meetings with players, which started Wednesday, Redick said, he spent most of the time with Doncic talking about leadership. With experience, he said, comes maturity and age.
Doncic now has all three.
“He’s pretty much seen everything in the NBA at this point,” Redick said.
Doncic said Tuesday that being a leader is nothing new to him. Before the Lakers acquired him in the blockbuster trade with Dallas in February 2025, Doncic had been the surefire face of the Mavericks for six seasons.
“I’m fully on board with that man,” Lakers forward Ziaire Williams said of Doncic on Monday.
WHO HAS THE BALL?
But what happens during the instances when both of them are off the court?
First, Redick said he plans on having at least one of his stars on the court at all times in a true stagger rotation.
“That’s generally what teams do, and that’s probably what we’ll do,” Redick said.
But should he need another ball handler, the Lakers have options: guards Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Bronny James and Jaden Hardy.
“I think with Collin and Q and Bronny, as he continues to develop – Jaden if he’s in the lineup – there’s guys that can handle and guys that can create and initiate offense,” Redick said Wednesday.
Missing from that group is third-year guard Dalton Knecht, who many across the league suspect could be the odd man out in the Lakers’ upcoming roster crunch from 16 fully-guaranteed players to the league maximum of 15 players before opening night.
THE FIVE
No surprise, Walker Kessler will get the lion’s share of minutes at center should he be healthy – and he is the biggest and newest addition to the Lakers’ in-game strategy heading into the season.
What follows Kessler in depth is less certain. Whereas last season the Lakers had Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes backing up at center – with LeBron James able to defend the post in smaller lineups as well – the depth looks significantly different.
Veteran Kevon Looney – who won three NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors in the first stage of his NBA career – is the only true center behind Kessler on the roster. And while Looney only played 21 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season after beginning the season with an injury, the 30-year-old veteran insisted on Monday that he’s fully healthy.
“Things was going a little weird in New Orleans, but so I’ve been healthy for a while, no restrictions going into this year, and I feel great,” Looney said.
Redick said Sandro Mamukelashvili will play some minutes in the post positions but also on the wing, saying Wednesday that the stretch five can play closer to the basket like Kessler or Looney depending on the matchup.
Kessler referenced forward Jarred Vanderbilt as another player who could defend at center, if the team needs him to stretch defensively.
“Speaking to Loon, what a great vet,” Kessler said. “He’s done it before. He knows what it takes to win a championship on and off the court. Vando being able to, he’s not really a five, but being able to guard one through five basically. He’s an unbelievable defender. Mamu’s ability to stretch the floor. We just have a lot of weapons.”
THE ROOK
A big test is on the way for rookie guard Cameron Carr in his quest to surge into the Lakers’ rotation to begin the season.
The Lakers’ first-round draft pick – along with second-year wing Adou Thiero – are going to have opportunities to play this season, Redick said, but consistent reps are most important.
“We see a player in Cam; we’re really excited about him,” Redick said Thursday. “You could also see through three days that he’s a rookie. …”
“There were a number of times today where we kind of had to stop a drill, or at one point, a minute into the second scrimmage, I had to call a timeout and bring him over and just teach him a little bit. But he picks up things quickly, so I’m very confident that he’ll have opportunities this year.”
Veteran defensive wing Matisse Thybulle – who first met Carr when the rookie was still in college – called the Baylor product a “sponge,” a young player with an appetite for learning.
“He really wants to understand the game and be able to do it at a high level,” Thybulle said Saturday. “And it’s cool just to be around young guys who care that much. For him, it’s just going to be about the reps, and as he’s going to get them, he’s going to be a great player.”
Carr has admitted that the physicality of the NBA has been an adjustment. But the 21-year-old guard is ready for the challenge ahead.
“I’ve got really good teammates ahead of me that I can just pick their brain, ask questions, watch and learn how to guard at an elite NBA level,” Carr said Monday.