LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers have played three preseason games to date, with two more to go, and they have yet to see their new big man Walker Kessler in game action due to injury. Kessler was ruled out of the team’s first preseason game with what was listed as a finger injury, and he’s been limited in terms of practice over the past few weeks.

With the Lakers set to face off against the Golden State Warriors in their penultimate preseason game on Tuesday, Oct. 13, head coach JJ Redick was non-committal in terms of playing Walker Kessler while acknowledging that he’s ramping up his return from injury.

“I would say we’re not committed to that. He definitely was in practice today. No live today but he did everything else,” Redick said following Lakers’ practice on Saturday. “We’ll see tomorrow if he can do live. Monday, maybe some live. Monday probably would be more of a teaching day and film day. So we’ll see.”

Kessler was the Lakers’ prized offseason acquisition, pulling off a big sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz in which the Lakers gave up quite a bit of draft capital. During a press conference before the start of training camp, general manager Rob Pelinka affirmed his belief that the team had found their franchise center in Kessler.

Throughout the preseason, Redick has admitted that the team’s current injuries, including guard Collin Sexton, are not concerning to the point where their status for the start of the regular season is in doubt. Sexton is dealing with a lower leg injury and has also been sidelined for the preseason thus far. Redick acknowledged that the nine-year veteran was also a modified participant during practice, but was further behind in his potential return than Kessler was.

The No. 22 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Kessler has dealt with various injury issues during his first couple of seasons with the Jazz. Last year, a shoulder injury limited him to only five games.

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Across four seasons with the Jazz, Kessler holds career averages of 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.4 blocked shots while shooting 68.1 percent from the field. His past two seasons he’s averaged double figures in scoring and rebounding, and he’s consistently been among the league leaders in shot blocking.

Sexton was one of the Lakers’ first agreements during the initial days of the free agent negotiation period. He’s played for several teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Jazz since being selected with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Last season, he averaged 15.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 48.5 percent shooting from the field and 40.1 percent shooting from the 3-point line while splitting time with the Hornets and Bulls.