Lakers still waiting for preseason debuts of Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton - BERITAJA

Entering the last week of preseason games, Lakers coach JJ Redick is still unsure erstwhile he’ll get a afloat look astatine his new-look team.

Lingering injuries to halfway Walker Kessler (finger) and defender Collin Sexton (lower leg) are casting uncertainty connected their readiness for the Lakers’ 4th preseason crippled Tuesday successful Las Vegas against the Golden State Warriors.

Both offseason additions person yet to make their Lakers preseason debuts. While Kessler participated successful believe Saturday aft hitting his digit connected the backboard, he was not successful unrecorded drills. Redick said he was “not committed” to having Kessler disposable Tuesday against the Warriors.

The Lakers invested 4 first-round picks and a four-year, $130-million statement to get the prima halfway successful a sign-and-trade from the Utah Jazz. They’re relying connected him to anchor their defense and adhd a much-desired lob threat for defender Luka Doncic. The Lakers are now getting a preview of what their squad would look for illustration successful the minutes without Kessler.

“It’s important to person 2 of the bigger wings retired location for rebounding purposes,” said Redick, who added Kessler’s digit wounded is insignificant capable for him to play done if this was the regular season. “That was a concern, I think, coming into the twelvemonth is like, trying to beryllium a bully protect rebounding team. What does that look for illustration pinch Walker not connected the court? And I deliberation successful film, it’s beautiful evident that we request to do a amended occupation of boxing out. Just for illustration elemental worldly and pack rebounding.”

The Lakers are 28th successful the preseason pinch 37.7 rebounds per crippled and gave up 20 violative rebounds to the Kings connected Thursday, their 3rd crippled of the preseason.

Wings Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams started successful the Lakers’ first preseason crippled and the defensive-minded players flashed their imaginable by hounding opponents afloat court. After starring successful the preseason opener pinch 13 points and a bargain against the Warriors, Williams missed the past 2 games pinch a ft contusion.

Second-year guardant Adou Thiero has started alternatively and has a team-high 11 protect rebounds during 3 preseason games. The high-flying wing’s maturation this offseason has caught the attraction of his teammates who are eager to propulsion him lobs for dunks and spot him entity for rebounds.

“I told him that the 2nd pickup crippled successful Slovenia, what I saw from him, conscionable knowing the crippled better, reference the game, I deliberation he improved a batch successful the summer,” Doncic said.

With Kessler sidelined, the Lakers person alternated Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili astatine center. Looney leads the squad pinch 17 rebounds during the preseason. Mamukelashvili, who plays some powerfulness guardant and center, has 11 assists successful the preseason, showing the type of versatility that has Redick excited to instal the team’s “Mamu package” of plays and after-timeout sets.

The deficiency of extent astatine halfway could beryllium a interest for the Lakers during the season, but they’re assured successful their perimeter players to group the reside connected defense.

“It makes my occupation a batch easier,” Looney said of the Lakers’ rotation of wings. “As agelong arsenic I talk early, they’re going to get complete the screen. I don’t person to beryllium caught playing two. Those guys are capable to recover, they’re capable to artifact shots, they’re capable to popular backmost and get rebounds. As a large erstwhile your guards and wings are hustling for illustration that, it makes your occupation a batch easier.”

Lakers halfway Kevon Looney tries to people wrong against the Kings’ Dylan Cardwell and Nique Clifford during a preseason crippled connected Monday successful Sacramento.

(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)

Sexton is “probably a small spot further behind” erstwhile it comes to returning compared to Kessler, Redick said. The Lakers signed the 27-year-old defender for an other scoring punch and person missed him arsenic a 3rd ballhandling action to supplement Doncic and Austin Reaves. With the measurement teams unit now, Redick said he is aiming to person aggregate ballhandlers connected the tribunal astatine each times.

With coaches still tinkering pinch lineup options successful the preseason, turnovers became a problem erstwhile the ballhandling options dwindled. The Lakers mean the fourth-most turnovers per crippled (23.7) during the preseason.

Although the Lakers person yet to person each their players disposable successful the preseason, players aren’t lacking confidence. Doncic said he knew the team, which welcomed 9 caller players during a engaged offseason, had title imaginable good earlier training campy moreover started.

“Since the first day,” Doncic said. “That simple. Since the first time everybody came together successful Slovenia … I believed that we could triumph a championship.”