LAS VEGAS — Lakers coach JJ Redick’s problem for Walker Kessler is easy: Be “relentless”.
Relentless with his motor on both ends of the ground. With his working and altering ends in between possessions. With his screening and rolling towards the rim. With his rebounding.
The Lakers got that in abundance during their marquee acquisition’s preseason debut, which came in a 101-89 loss to the Warriors on Tuesday evening at T-Mobile Arena in the team’s penultimate exhibition.
Walker Kessler made an affect for the Lakers in their 101-89 loss to the Warriors in his preseason debut with
Los Angeles on Oct. 13, 2026 in Las Vegas. Getty Images
The 7-foot-2 middle completed with 11 factors, 9 rebounds (two offensive boards), one block and one steal in 16 first-half minutes before sitting out of the second half.
Kessler, who the Lakers acquired from the Jazz as half of a sign-and-trade with the Jazz that included a four-year, $130 million contract for the large man, missed the first three preseason video games after injuring his left pinky finger.
“He’s a great fit for our team,” Redick said of Kessler. “He did a good job of working the ground, crashing, had some terrific rebounds in site visitors [and] protected the rim. Just [a] actually good first half from him.
“Overall really good for someone who didn’t play for, whatever it is, 10 days.”
Walker Kessler slams home a dunk during the Lakers’ preseason loss to the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images
Kessler’s affect on the Lakers was as huge as his 270-pound body.
The Lakers won the 16 minutes he was on the ground by 15 factors in what was Kessler’s first NBA sport in practically a full calendar yr after he performed just 5 common season video games in 2025-26 because of a season-ending left shoulder surgical procedure.
“It was a lot of fun being out there again,” Kessler said. “It’s been so long. Before the game, I was actually pretty nervous, to be honest. But, getting out there and just playing with the guys, it was a blast.”
Walker Kessler admitted to being nervous before his preseason debut with the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images
The No. 22 decide in the 2022 draft made his presence felt in the Lakers’ first possession with out recording a statistic in the field rating.
After Austin Reaves missed a pull-up 13-foot jumper out of the decide and roll with Kessler, the large man fought for the offensive rebound, with the ball bouncing off of Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg’s palms and going out of rebounds, ensuing in a team offensive rebound for the Lakers.
“JJ and I talked, and that’s kind of what we came up with this year: ‘Relentless,’ ” Kessler said. “And for me, that means just crashing every time, trying to be a presence in the paint, inside, outside, play hard, don’t take plays off, on the offensive end and defensive end. That’s going to be my goal for this year.”
Austin Reaves (15) instantly linked with Walker Kessler (14) on decide and rolls. NBAE via Getty Images
After the Lakers inbounded the ball, Reaves ran another decide and roll with his new beginning middle, with the large man out of Auburn rolling onerous to the basket and bringing in the Warriors low man (Gui Santos) into the paint, main to Reaves making the drive-and-kick move to Quentin Grimes for an open nook 3-pointer.
The Lakers created several open seems from beyond the arc because of Kessler’s roll gravity.
“He created probably four or five really good looks for us from 3 just rolling hard,” Reaves said. “Nobody’s gonna give him credit for it, but him putting pressure on the rim and roll opportunities gonna make the big guy sink, and we’re gonna get wide open 3s. We had quite a bit of them.”
With one more preseason sport on Friday against the Nuggets in Los Angeles, and one week before the Lakers open the common season against the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, Kessler is wanting to construct off Tuesday’s displaying.
“Just game feel, honestly,” he responded when requested what he’s wanting to enhance on. “That will come with time and just playing with the guys now that I’m cleared. Conditioning-wise, I actually felt good out there. First wind was a little tough, but after I got past that, my legs kind of got under me and I felt good.”
Source hyperlink
