JJ Redick Delivers Promising Update on Lakers’ Walker Kessler Amid Injury Concerns

Last season, Walker Kessler played in only five games for the Utah Jazz before being shut down for the 2025-27 campaign due to a torn labrum that required season-ending surgery.

Despite coming off a season-ending injury, the Los Angeles Lakers were determined to acquire Kessler this past summer and did so via a surprising sign-and-trade, securing his services on a four-year deal.

Unfortunately, Kessler has yet to make his Lakers debut during the NBA preseason, missing three straight games with a finger injury, but that debut will happen in one of the final two exhibition matchups.

JJ Redick: Walker Kessler Will Play in Preseason

Before the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings for a second time in the preseason, head coach JJ Redick spoke to the media and addressed Kessler’s status after the big man was ruled out for a third straight contest.

Redick made it clear that Kessler will play before the team’s regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena.

JJ speaks with @LakersReporter and the media about Austin Reaves making his preseason debut and the duo of Reaves and Luka. pic.twitter.com/Bwn69GnmGM
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 9, 2026

“We’re going to check in tomorrow. … It's not concerning,” Redick said of Kessler’s injury. “He'll play in the preseason.”

Any player missing three straight games with an injury is concerning, especially when the franchise made a substantial commitment to that player and views him as a key piece to the championship puzzle alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

That said, Kessler’s absence has raised some concerns, but Redick assuring the media that the Lakers’ new star center will play in one of the next two games is a promising sign.

Kessler will be vital to what the Lakers are trying to do, especially on the defensive end as a rim protector and the anchor of the defense in the paint.

JJ Redick: Lakers’ Offense Will ‘Look Different When Walker’s Healthy’

With three preseason games in the books, Redick likes what he’s seen from his team offensively, with the new-look squad clearly having the talent to light up the scoreboard on a nightly basis.

However, Redick wants to see what the offense will look like once Kessler and Collin Sexton, who have also missed three straight games, are healthy.

"I like where we're at. Would love to get some news on some people and see what we look like at full strength in one of these games."

JJ Redick discusses what he likes from the team with 2 games left of the preseason. pic.twitter.com/FnkYFPX3HQ
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 9, 2026

“A lot of this is just gonna look different when Walker's healthy and when Collin [Sexton]’s healthy,” Redick said. “And you kinda have to look at everything in the whole [and] at everything in kind of the aggregate of camp and practice and preseason as you look at what the rotation could potentially be when we're healthy.”

In addition to being key to the Lakers’ defense, Kessler will have a significant role on offense as a consistent lob threat for Doncic and Reaves. The 25-year-old center is also working on becoming a threat from beyond the arc, which he started doing last season before going down with the shoulder injury, shooting 75 percent from deep.

Kessler’s next opportunity to make his Lakers debut will come in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena when they take on the Warriors for a second time in the preseason.

If he’s ruled out for that game on Oct. 13, the preseason finale will be played against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto on Oct. 16.

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