EL SEGUNDO \u2014 The Lakers\u2019 first week of training camp is nearly complete as they turn attention to a pair of preseason games in Northern California early this week.<\/p>\n
When President of Basketball Operations\/General Manager Rob Pelinka primed the 2026-27 season during the annual preseason press conference on Sept. 24<\/a> he promised two things: a \u201chighly competitive\u201d training camp and a roster built around Luka Doncic, the franchise\u2019s leading star<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since Tuesday\u2019s first training camp practice, those keys have been on display as coach JJ Redick formulates his gameplan.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had six real practices, preseason last year,\u201d Redick said Saturday. \u201cThis year we\u2019ll have at least 12, plus a couple get-what-you need-days (non-mandatory practices). It\u2019s just generally just gonna be a more productive preseason training camp.\u201d<\/p>\n As the Lakers look to their first preseason game on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings \u2013 a 7 p.m. tipoff at the Golden One Center \u2013 here are four takeaways from the first four practices of the new-look Lakers roster.<\/p>\n Luka, the leader<\/p>\n Redick didn\u2019t scoff when he was asked about Doncic\u2019s leadership and if the star was doing anything \u201cextra.\u201d<\/p>\n But the third-year coach was quick to assert the obvious: the Slovenian star is putting in work as he grasps the reins of the team\u2019s culture from LeBron James.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, he paid for a private plane for 14 guys or 16 guys to fly to Slovenia,\u201d<\/a> Redick said Thursday, referencing the offseason mini camp in Ljubljana, Slovenia. \u201cThat\u2019s pretty extra.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Doncic now has all three.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s pretty much seen everything in the NBA at this point,\u201d Redick said.<\/p>\n Doncic said Tuesday that being a leader is nothing new to him. Before arriving in the blockbuster trade with the Lakers in February 2025, Doncic had been the surefire face of the Dallas Mavericks for six seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m fully on board with that man,\u201d Lakers forward Ziaire Williams said Monday.<\/p>\n Who has the ball?<\/p>\n Doncic and Austin Reaves are going to have their fair share of the ball \u2013 that much is certain.<\/a><\/p>\n But what happens when both of the Lakers star guards are off the floor?<\/p>\n First, Redick said that he plans on having at least one of his stars on the floor at all times in a true stagger rotation.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s generally what teams do, and that\u2019s probably what we\u2019ll do,\u201d Redick said.<\/p>\n But should he need another ballhandler, the Lakers have options: guards Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Bronny James and Jaden Hardy.<\/p>\n \u201cI think with Collin and Q and Bronny, as he continues to develop<\/a> \u2013 Jaden if he\u2019s in the lineup \u2013 there\u2019s guys that can handle and guys that can create and initiate offense,\u201d Redick said Wednesday.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The five<\/p>\n