On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers got back to work on the basketball floor, with the new-look roster facing Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, the team was shorthanded once again, with several players ruled out for this game, including Luka Doncic, Ziaire Williams, Collin Sexton, Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero.
Walker Kessler finally made his Lakers debut after missing the first three preseason games due to a finger injury, but the team still fell short to the Warriors, 101-89, as things fell apart in the second half.
Here are my three takeaways from the Lakers’ fourth preseason game.
No. 3: Turnovers Are Out of Control, Even for a Preseason Game
The Lakers committed an eye-popping 30 turnovers in this game. Yes, 30!
Head coach JJ Redick was already livid about the team turning the ball over 25 times in the preseason win against the Sacramento Kings, and now he’ll likely emphasize the issue once again, as 30 is unacceptable, even if it’s a preseason game.
Austin Reaves, who addressed his and Doncic’s turnover issues over the weekend, led the way with a game-high seven turnovers. The veteran guard did put up some impressive numbers, finishing with 28 points, seven assists and four rebounds while shooting an efficient 10-for-18 from the floor and 4-for-7 from deep, but that’s a lot of turnovers for one of your star players.
Other culprits in the turnover department include Bronny James (4), Chris Manon (4), Quentin Grimes (3), Jaden Hardy (3), Arthur Kaluma (3) and Dalton Knecht (2).
James and Hardy continue to struggle in this area, which could weigh heavily on the decision that needs to be made to cut down the roster to 15 players ahead of the season opener on Oct. 21.
No. 2: Sandro Mamukelashvili Continues to Impress
During the summer, the Lakers signed a handful of players to four-year deals, with Sandro Mamukelashvili among them after a career year with the Toronto Raptors.
So far, Mamukelashvili is looking like he’s worth every penny of his $60 million contract, as he seems to fit perfectly in any situation that Redick puts him in during these preseason games.
Mamukelashvili played the most minutes off the bench (21) on Tuesday for the Lakers. He made use of every minute he was on the floor, making an impact in the scoring column as well as on the glass.
The Seton Hall product dropped 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range to go along with seven rebounds and two assists.
He’s efficient and he stretches the floor while practically being able to do anything on the hardwood. The 27-year-old big man is going to have a big role on this team, regardless of whether he’s a starter or coming off the bench to start his stint in Los Angeles.
No. 1: Walker Kessler is a Game-Changer for Lakers
After a three-game absence to start the preseason, Kessler finally made his debut in purple and gold, and he was as advertised, if not better.
The 25-year-old center instantly showed why the Lakers had invested so much in the sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz, as he immediately made an impact defensively.
Although his defensive stats don’t tell the whole story, Kessler finished with a steal and a block and was all over the place, causing a lot of problems for the Warriors when he was on the floor.
The veteran newcomer played only 16 minutes on Tuesday night, the lowest of any starter by far, but his impact was palpable. It should excite Lakers fans about the possibilities heading into the 2026-27 NBA season.
However, Kevon Looney continues to be underwhelming, which is concerning given how thin the Lakers are at center. Los Angeles was a different team with Kessler off the floor, and that may be the team’s biggest issue moving forward.
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