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2026-27 · Preseason · Preseason
Walker Kessler and JJ Redick land on one word for the Lakers season: relentless
In his first Lakers preseason half — 11 points and nine rebounds — Walker Kessler said he and JJ Redick chose “relentless” as the season’s challenge after a pinkie delay and shoulder rehab.
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LAS VEGAS — Oct. 14, 2026 — Walker Kessler finally got his Los Angeles Lakers preseason debut, and he and coach JJ Redick already share a one-word mandate for the season: relentless.
11 and 9 in a half
Against Golden State on Tuesday, Kessler posted 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, nine rebounds, a block and a steal in just 16 first-half minutes of a 101-89 loss, a reporting showed. While he was on the floor, the Lakers outscored the Warriors by 15; in the 32 minutes he sat, Golden State outscored Los Angeles by 27.
“I mean, it was a lot of fun being out there again,” Kessler said afterward. “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.”
Redick’s challenge
It had been 347 days since Kessler’s last NBA game — Oct. 31 of last season with Utah, before season-ending left-shoulder labrum surgery. A pinkie jam early in Lakers camp kept him out of the first three exhibitions; he called sitting precautionary.
Redick called him “a great fit,” citing floor running, traffic rebounds and rim protection. The word he keeps giving Kessler is relentless — motor on both ends, diving, screening and crashing.
“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. So that’s going to be my goal for this year.”
Austin Reaves, who led the Lakers with 28 points, said Kessler’s hard rolls forced the opposing big to sink and opened threes. Sandro Mamukelashvili called him an impact rim protector after his own 10-and-7 night. Kessler still has Friday’s home game against Denver before the Oct. 22 opener versus Golden State.
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