Overview
- Luka Dončić has said he believed the retooled Lakers could win a title since teammates gathered at his Slovenia minicamp, a meeting players credit with building early on-court chemistry.
- Walker Kessler, who jammed his left pinky in training camp, fully participated in live practice drills on Monday and said the finger “feels good,” making a preseason debut possible but not guaranteed.
- Head coach JJ Redick has taken a cautious stance on Kessler’s playing status and will manage his minutes because Kessler missed most of last season after shoulder surgery.
- Sandro Mamukelashvili has emerged as a trusted multi-positional rotation piece with strong preseason scoring and playmaking that teammates back to push in transition after rebounds.
- The Lakers paid heavy draft capital to acquire Kessler and now face limited trade options for a true backup center, a short-term roster risk that could affect rebounding and rim protection if Kessler misses time.