Between injuries and designated rest days, Walker Kessler only played alongside Austin Reaves for two preseason games and appeared next to Luka Dončić for a singular preseason game, all of which occurred last week during the Los Angeles Lakers’ final two preseason contests.
Because of that abbreviated run together, Kessler knows more time will be required for all three of them to get on the same page. Whether it be understanding each other’s cadences in pick-and-rolls, what sort of angles Reaves and Dončić
like their screens set at or capitalizing on the gravity those two star ball-handlers command, Kessler is embracing patience while still enjoying the opportunity to play with such talented creators.
“Obviously there’s a transitional period playing with both of Luka and AR on the floor together,” Kessler told reporters after Friday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets. “Kind of what I was saying before, kind of about the blitzing ball screens and kind of playing out of that pocket. We started to get it a little, or I started to get it a little. Obviously, Luka and AR are pretty used to that. I mean, they’re such good offensive players and our ability to share the ball was fantastic. So it was a lot of fun.”
During his four years with the Utah Jazz, most of Kessler’s playmaking reps came in stationary contexts, like dribble handoffs or around the high post and elbows. That should change in Los Angeles, given defenses will trap Dončić and Reaves out of ball-screens. On Friday night, two of Kessler’s four assists were from short-roll situations. He found a cutting Ziaire Williams for a dunk and pinged a pass to Matisse Thybulle for an open triple.
To maximize the Dončić-Reaves-Kessler trio offensively, Kessler must be a viable short-roll outlet and discourage opponents from consistently selling out against the Lakers’ ball-handlers. As Kessler seems to understand, becoming fully comfortable in that usage won’t happen immediately. But his flashes Friday are a positive start ahead of the first consequential test Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors.
You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.
