In the first week of Los Angeles Lakers' training camp, players have expressed optimism about their defensive capabilities, surprising many scouts who previously believed perimeter defense would be a weakness. Center Walker Kessler praised his teammates’ defensive efforts and noted that everyone on the team has shown potential to contribute significantly. Additionally, coach JJ Redick and player Austin Reaves are confident that the Lakers will become championship contenders this season, despite last year’s struggles against teams like the Thunder and Spurs.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The first week of Lakers’ training camp has passed.
asserted
week → pass → camp
It has been a whirlwind of Purple-and-Gold-smeared optimism and excitement.
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It → smear → optimism
Luka Doncic is ready to lead the Lakers back atop the league as the unequivocal head of the 17-time championship franchise.
Austin Reaves wants to live up to his new four-year, $180 million contract.
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Reaves → lead → contract
Walker Kessler is ready to run through walls.
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Kessler → run → walls
Lakers’ perimeter defense is better than expected
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defense → expect → ?
If you asked any scout what the Lakers’ biggest hole was heading into the season, the response would’ve been unanimous: perimeter defense.
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response → ask → season
Only, the players say that’s wildly incorrect.
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that → say → ?
In fact, Lakers coach JJ Redick cut practice short Wednesday because the competition became so intense.
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competition → cut → practice
And it’s obvious that those spots will be won by defensive effort.
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spots → ’ → effort
Kessler, who is the Lakers’ defensive anchor down low, has been impressed by what he has seen so far.
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he → impress → what
“I think we’re going to be a nasty defensive team, I’m just being honest,” Kessler said.
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Kessler → think → ?
“Just seeing these guys hound the ball on the perimeter.”
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guys → see → perimeter
Kessler said people “aren’t taking into account” how good the Lakers’ perimeter defense will be, adding that this roster has the intelligence and skill to surpass expectations.
But one question in particular stumped Kessler.
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question → say → Kessler
Who stood out?
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Who → stand → ?
“I mean, Thi [Adou Thiero], Ziaire [Williams], Quentin [Grimes], Bull [Matisse Thybulle], Van [Jarred Vanderbilt], Jake [LaRavia] — I could go through the whole team,” he said.
uncertain
he → mean → team
“Everyone’s got their own strengths, weaknesses.
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Everyone → get → weaknesses
But I think that these guys are really good at not allowing their weaknesses to show and really focusing on their strengths, and [making] sure that’s what’s pushing them forward, especially on the defensive side.”
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what → think → side
2. Lakers believe they’ll be championship contenders this season
It was obvious last season that the Lakers were heads and shoulders behind the top teams in the West, including the Thunder and Spurs.
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Lakers → believe → Thunder
They lost their four regular-season matchups against the Thunder by an average of 29.3 points and then were swept out of the playoffs by Oklahoma City in the second round.
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They → lose → round
Oh, then the Thunder lost to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals.
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Thunder → lose → finals
The Lakers responded by completely overhauling their roster last summer, adding youth and speed.
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Lakers → respond → youth
But let’s be real: It still seemed as though they were a few tweaks away from being able to contend.
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they → let → ?
And they definitely needed time to jell, especially considering the Thunder and Spurs have been deep into the playoffs with their rosters.
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Thunder → need → rosters
But the Lakers don’t think it will take time.
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it → think → time
They believe they’ve arrived.
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they → believe → ?
Said Redick: “I’m confident we’re gonna develop as a team into a championship-level team this year.”
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we → say → team
When Reaves was asked if he agreed, he didn’t hesitate.
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he → ask → ?
“I do,” he said.
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he → do → ?
“Let me tell you, trying to score on Matisse and Ziaire, especially with Adou out there, too, and then Walker on the back line is not easy.
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trying → let → line
I had to deal with that all day yesterday and today, and it’s not fun.
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it → have → that
So, defensively, we’re going to be much better.”
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we → go → ?
That’s great news for a team that finished 19th in defensive rating last season.
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that → ’ → rating
Kessler also believes the Larry O’Brien Trophy is within the team’s grasp.
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Trophy → believe → grasp
“I believe so,” he said.
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he → believe → ?
”
3. Get ready for Luka
A fire was lit under Doncic as soon as he was shockingly dealt by the Mavericks to the Lakers in February 2025.
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he → get → February
Those flames were fanned when LeBron James left Los Angeles in free agency.
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James → fan → agency
And he’s ready.
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he → ’ → ?
He says he’s fully healthy after missing last postseason because of a strained hamstring.
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he → say → hamstring
He recently made five consecutive half-court shots, stunning Reaves into pausing his own news conference to marvel at the feat.
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He → make → feat
He helped handpick the roster, telling Lakers brass that he wanted Reaves and Kessler as his teammates.
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Reaves → help → teammates
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
