Lakers Target Turnovers and Rebounding Before Season Opener

The Los Angeles Lakers are working to address costly turnovers and defensive rebounding problems before their regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. With two preseason games remaining as of Oct. 12, the team is evaluating its execution and lineup combinations while preparing for the start of the NBA season.

According to preseason statistics cited by The California Post, the Lakers entered Monday with a 22.3% turnover rate, ranking 28th among all teams. Their defensive rebounding percentage stood at 61.6%, placing them 27th in the league.

The turnover figures involve several key contributors, including Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jaden Hardy, Quentin Grimes, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and Sandro Mamukelashvili. The team has also played without a consistent rotation because of player availability and limited minutes during the exhibition schedule.

Doncic averaged five turnovers per game, while Reaves averaged three, according to the reported preseason statistics. Hardy and Grimes also averaged three turnovers per game, followed by Bronny James at 2.7 and Knecht and Mamukelashvili at two each.

Coach JJ Redick has acknowledged that unfamiliar combinations on the court have contributed to the team's organizational difficulties. Additional practices and playing time could help the Lakers improve their ball control as they continue installing offensive sets and defensive schemes.

Defensive rebounding presents another challenge, particularly when the team's new center, Walker Kessler, is unavailable. His presence is expected to strengthen the interior, but the Lakers must also develop a reliable approach for the minutes he spends off the floor.

Redick identified rebounding responsibilities and lineup construction as important areas for improvement, emphasizing the need for larger perimeter players to help secure defensive possessions.

"It's important to have two of the bigger wings out there for rebounding purposes," Redick said.

The coach said defensive rebounding was a concern entering the season and that reviewing game footage had highlighted basic execution issues. He pointed to boxing out and collective rebounding as areas requiring improvement.

"That was a concern I think coming into the year – trying to be a good defensive rebounding team. What does that look like with Walker not on the court? In film, it's pretty apparent that we need to do a better job of boxing out. Just like simple stuff and gang rebounding," Redick said.

The Lakers are also managing several player availability concerns during the final week of the preseason. Kessler, the team's marquee free-agency acquisition, missed the first three games but returned to live practice on Sunday after dealing with an injury to his left pinky finger.

Kessler could make his preseason debut against the Warriors on Tuesday in Las Vegas. His return would give Los Angeles an opportunity to assess its defensive rebounding with its new center available.

Collin Sexton's status remained uncertain for Tuesday's game and Friday's preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles. Redick said the 6-foot-3 guard was "probably a little bit further behind" Kessler in his recovery from a lower leg injury.

Ziaire Williams, a 6-foot-10 forward competing for a starting role, was also dealing with a foot contusion. He had played only in the Lakers' preseason-opening victory over the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5.

The Lakers have two remaining exhibition games to evaluate their rotations and address execution problems before opening the regular season against Golden State on Oct. 21.