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LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers play basketball in just two days when they travel to Sacramento for their first preseason game on Monday. While the team has been hard at work through the first week of training camp, some of the two-way guys are starting to make an impression, most notably Chris Mañon.

“Particularly the first two days, I thought both [Arthur Kaluma and AK Okereke] were (a) really physical part of that wing group,” Redick said after practice on Saturday. “Chris on Thursday and Chris again today in live play — he’s gotten some exposure with the purple team because we wanted to have scoring balance on both sides — he’s been fantastic the last two days in live play and scrimmages.”

Redick added that he views Kaluma and Okereke as 3-and-D wings within the structure of the Lakers system and Mañon as a guard-wing hybrid.

“There’s a little bit of redundancy with our two-ways this year, which we view as a really good thing because, if we can develop Adou [Thiero] and develop Cam [Carr] and develop these guys into functional rotation NBA players over the next 12 to 24 months, it changes our ceiling,” Redick said.

More practice, more defined roles

The Lakers have five preseason games this season, which is down from six last year. While Redick doesn’t like a shortened preseason, he admits having one less game this year gives the team more time to practice and go into the regular season with a better pace.

“I want to say we had six real practices in preseason last year. This year we’ll have at least 12,” Redick said. “Generally, we could get a more productive preseason and training camp … we can actually space things out a little bit more, get these guys more live play, really take our time with teaching.”

On that note, more time gives the coaching staff and players more opportunity to define roles. It’s an interesting situation for someone like Bronny James, who, despite entering just his third season, is the third-longest tenured Laker on the team behind Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt. James is balancing fighting for a rotation spot while also stepping into a role where he’s viewed as a leader to many of the fresh faces in the locker room.

“Crazy, right? AR keeps calling me a vet. I’m like, ‘I guess,’” James said. “I come in every day trying to get better and better myself as a point guard. Just taking those steps and encouraging my guys and getting them in the right spot.”

Matisse Thybulle has been the source of much of the praise coming out of training camp for his defensive ability. He, too, is in the competition for the fifth starting spot as one of the team’s best point-of-attack defenders.

Before Los Angeles, he’s traveled around the league playing in varying roles either in the starting lineup or on the bench, but he’s maintained that, regardless of where he’s slotted, he’ll impact winning.

“I leave those decisions up to the coaches,” Thybulle said Saturday on whether he believes he should start. “For me, if my teammates are happy with how I’m playing, if the coaches are happy with how I’m playing, that’s a good sign to me that I’m doing a good job. But if that means I’m coming off the bench, if that means I’m starting, I trust that the coaches know how to use me best to create the most impact and go with that.”

Kessler from deep

Towards the end of practice on Saturday, we were able to see Walker Kessler work on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop drills. From what I saw — and brace yourselves, Lakers fans — his jump shot doesn’t look bad at all.

Kessler upped his 3-point attempts per game from 0.3 in his first three seasons to 1.6 in the five games he played last year before missing the rest of the year with a shoulder injury. He’s noted multiple times this offseason that spacing the floor has been a focus in his game.

Coming in as one of the best archetypes to play alongside Luka Dončić, an ability to space the floor only elevates Los Angeles’ offense.

Other Notes:

• JJ Redick still hasn’t revealed the availability of any player going into Monday’s preseason game. He says they are “still working stuff.”
• Bronny is still weighing 215-220 pounds, but attributes his slimmer frame to a better diet and more running.
• Thybulle says Cameron Carr has been really eager to learn and receptive to the coaches. He said that he thinks Carr can really improve as reps increase.

California quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele exited the Golden Bears' game against the UNLV Rebels just before the end of the first half after taking a hit that caused a collision to his head.

Sagapolutele was evaluated on the sideline after being taken down by UNLV linebacker Elias Rudolph just after getting a pass off. The Cal sophomore quarterback hit his head on the turf as he was wrestled to the ground.

He attempted to go back to the huddle for the next play, but teammate Ian Strong, a transfer wide receiver, waved in the medical staff, who provided immediate attention to Sagapolutele.

Sagapolutele had completed 19-of-27 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Jackson Brousseau ended the first half in his place. Cal trailed the Rebels, 24-7, at the time of the injury.

Coach Lupoi gives JKS injury update for Cal QB

Sagapolutele was seen on the sideline at the start of the second half with his helmet off. A sign that the Golden Bears' play caller would end his day.

It would take a few plays but Sagapolutele looked ready to get back into the fire, especially as he stood on the sidelines in the second half.

That's because he was. Cal head coach Tosh Lupoi told reporters that his sophomore quarterback was medically cleared to return to the game. But instead, Lupoi wasn't taking any chances. He made a judgement call to keep Sagapolutele out for the remainder of the contest.

"Jaron, when we came out, was medically cleared. I personally was not comfortable with the way he came off the field. (He was) literally wobbling," Lupoi said told reporters postgame. "He was medically cleared to go in. I made that decision to start out with Jackson and not jeopardize Jaron’s health."

"Instead of just throwing him back out there into the fold, I was not going to jeopardize him," Lupoi added. "Much more important than any game is his health, his life, his career. So sure enough as he went out there we had a drive then he was re-checked throughout after that and I think there was enough symptoms there to just, for me, no matter what I'm not going to jeopardize that young man. So, I made that decision, not going to put anybody in harm's way."

Lupoi hasn't ruled him out for the next game but assured that Sagapolutele would be re-evaluated for the next week against Virginia Tech.

"We'll reassess everything, health wise, and see where we're at going into this next week. If Jaron's ready to rock, then awesome," Lupoi said. "But if he has any symptoms, just like any one of our players, we'll reassess there and make sure we're not going to put anyone in harms way."

Cal lose star defensive back Kingston Lopa

Cal saw its starting quarterback go down with an injury, but he wasn't the only star on the Golden Bears' football team to have gone out injured.

Star defensive back and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Kingston Lopa left the game against UNLV early with an upper body injury. He was evaluated on the sideline after walking off the field on his own merit.

He did not return to the game as he was seen on the sideline in street clothes in the second half. Lopa leads the nation with five interceptions in the 2026 season.

Earlier in the game Cal lost defensive back Cam Sidney who was ejected due to targeting.

How did Cal finish without their rising quarterback?

Brousseau got his feel for the game and delivered a short pass to Carson Perry-Smith, who took the ball the length of the field for a 53-yard touchdown with 4:40 left in the third quarter. It was his first collegiate touchdown in his career.

The Golden Bears converted a two-point conversion to cut the lead down, 24-15.

A turn of momentum happened for Cal. On the ensuing kickoff, UNLV returner Peyton Zachary fumbled and it was recovered by Cal freshman Niles Davis.

The Golden Bears offense turned it into three points, connecting on a 38-yard field goal from Towns McGough. Cal trailed 24-18, making it a one-possession game with 3:36 left in the third quarter.

Cal took a lead after their fourth-string running back Ashten Emory found the end zone on a seven-yard rush after a critical pass interference penalty backed UNLV at their own goal. Emory has 48 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.

Cal led 25-24 with 11:38 left in the game.

Cal lost another defensive back, this time, Daniel Harris after he was ejected from the game due to targeting.

UNLV responded with a scoring drive of their own after Rebels quarterback Jackson Arnold threw a 10-yard touchdown to Keyan Burnett. Arnold converted a two-point conversion, taking a quarterback sneak up the middle to give UNLV a 32-25 lead with 9:31 left in the game.

Another gritty possession from UNLV put them up late, 39-25. Cal answered with too little, too late. The Golden Bears produced an impressive 86-yard drive on 14 plays, ending in a 10-yard TD to Strong. It would not be enough, and Cal would fall, 39-31.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele injury update: Coach Lupoi 'made that decision'

It was just a scrimmage. Sure, that’s all. Sorta in the same way that Ben Franklin was just a bald, fat guy with a kite.

Saturday afternoon’s proceedings represented the first public appearance of the Sixers as we now know them, the first time LeBron James and Jaylen Brown appeared alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

And sure, you couldn’t tell much, considering it was played at three-quarters speed, in an arena that was perhaps two-thirds full. Also considering the regular season is still over two weeks away, and the playoffs aren’t even a blip on the horizon.

It was, as James said afterward, a “great first step in the direction we want to go.”

So everything needs to be framed in that light. It was just a faint outline of what they hope to be, and what they can be. It was an unveiling, with much more yet to be revealed.

Here are some takeaways:

Happy Camper

As everyone has said throughout training camp, Embiid was moving well, seemingly unencumbered by the knee issues that have slowed him in recent years. He dunked early on, off a feed from Edgecombe, then nailed a three-pointer. Later he slammed with the left hand, not long after Ariel Hukporti had blocked his shot.

“He’s so much more healthy (than at the 2024 Olympics),” James said of Embiid, a teammate then and now. “He hasn’t missed a practice. He’s been in every drill.”

Embiid kinda/sorta acknowledged as much, and certainly his frame of mind seems good – something else his teammates have mentioned.

As an example, consider his thoughts on the lefty slam: “”(Hukporti) did block me the first time, so I was kinda pissed off about it.”

Then he joked that it was “probably the last dunk of my career.”

Hey, we’ve missed that guy. Nice to have him back.

Space Cadets

When the starters took the court to open the day, they played the five-out style that might be expected, which opens the court for slashing by Maxey and Edgecombe, mid-range magic from Brown and Embiid and James’ all-around excellence. There were back cuts and dribble handoffs. There was movement and energy.

Embiid said he has heard a great deal about sacrifice, but in his mind it’s not so much about that as “being the best version of yourself” or “being a star in your role.”

He also said that his Olympic experience with James does not have as big an impact on the two of them jelling as some have said. Rather, he said, they would have meshed no matter what, given their experience and basketball IQ.

There were some interesting wrinkles. When Brown was on the floor in the second quarter with Edgecombe, backups Dean Wade and Labaron Philon Jr. and roster longshot Dillon Jones, he really went to work, rattling off 12 points in a scalding stretch. So it certainly appears that everybody will be able to eat, that opportunities will present themselves in various ways.

Edgier Edgecombe

He is in his second year, and he is clearly more sure of himself, more apt to assert himself than he was during his promising rookie year. On one second-quarter possession he got a step on Embiid, then switched hands in midair as he attacked the rim, enabling him to lay the ball in and draw the foul.

Moments later he tried to dunk on Embiid. Embiid was called for the foul, though he argued the call in the moment and later said he had “all ball,” something the replay seemed to confirm.

But the point is, Edgecombe’s training wheels are completely off. President of basketball operations Mike Gansey mentioned before the scrimmage that the soph plays with “no fear,” and afterward James said Edgecombe is “not quiet, in a good way.” LBJ also called him “a very cerebral player, and always looking for ways to get better.”

That is readily apparent.

Backup Plan

Gansey was reluctant to say how many games the team hopes to get from Embiid, only that everyone wants to “stick to the plan.” But figure the veteran center plays no more than 60 in the regular season. That leaves ample opportunity for Adem Bona and Hukporti. And while Bona is out with a sprained foot, Hukporti showed Saturday he might have more to offer than was first thought.

Early on the former Knick knocked down three short jumpers, and later he deftly fed Philon and Edgecombe for backdoor buckets – all while continuing to ply his trade on the defensive end. Besides his block on Embiid, he also denied Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

One Last Thought

There has been an accent on defense in the early days of camp, and James declared that the Sixers “can be a top five defensive team if we compete every time.”

That, in fact, might really tell the tale of their season. They will put up points in bunches; that seems clear. But can they get stops when they really need them? That bears watching.

Warriors training camp takeaways: Steve Kerr divulges plans for preseason opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LAIE, Hawaii – The Warriors on Saturday said goodbye to the BYU-Hawaii campus, which played host to five practices ahead of Sunday’s preseason opener against the LA Clippers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

“I’ve loved it all,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I mean, Hawaii’s one of the great spots on Earth, and to have camp here, great chance for our players to bring family members and enjoy their time after practice. We also had great five days here at BYU.” 

And how couldn’t Kerr and the rest of the many, many traveling Warriors not have loved their time on the north shore? The people are as welcoming as the waves. The food is delicious, and it’s the best reset away from the hustle and bustle of the NBA. 

Players were on the same page as their coach, too. 

“Oh, Hawaii’s beautiful,” Brandin Podziemski said. “Second time here. The people are just so nice and so welcoming. Make you feel at home.” 

Finally, the Warriors soon will be back in the Bay Area playing on their home court at Chase Center. The home preseason opener is Tuesday night at 7 p.m. PT against the Los Angeles Lakers. But first, they’ll get to show off their new 5-out offense Sunday against the Clippers, as well as new defensive concepts being taught by Frank Vogel. 

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ fifth practice of training camp, which featured comments from Kerr, Podziemski and Charles Bassey. 

Minutes Plan 

The first starting five for the Warriors already was chosen Thursday when Kerr revealed a lineup of Podziemski, Steph Curry, Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green and Al Horford. Kerr on Saturday laid out the plan for how long veterans will be on the floor.

When the second half begins, at least three Warriors starters will not be on the court. 

“Steph, Dray and Al first half only,” Kerr said. “Probably between 12 and 16 minutes, somewhere in there.” 

As Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody continue their rehabs from injury, plus Kristaps Porziņģis not being in Hawaii due to a health issue, the Warriors already are shorthanded. They’ll lean into their depth right away, even in the preseason. Every Warrior will see action against the Clippers — including their three players on two-way contracts — as well as Dalen Terry, Alex Toohey and Miles Kelly. 

The plan helps Kerr get his first look at every available player without overexhausting anybody. The training staff will take a cautious approach throughout the preseason, and the schedule doesn’t do anybody any favors. 

After playing Sunday in Hawaii, the Warriors play again Tuesday at Chase Center, then again the next day in Portland against the Trail Blazers. That’s right, the Warriors already are being challenged by a back-to-back in the preseason, including playing three games in four nights with two flights. 

That bundle of games quickly will throw off the Warriors’ practice schedule, and a handful of players won’t even make the trip to Portland. 

“Not a huge fan, but we get it,” Kerr said of the back-to-back. “These things are tricky. It’s not easy putting these schedules together – arena availability, the Hawaii trip. So, next week’s going to be an interesting schedule for us. We’ll keep some guys home from Portland. Then we’ll have to do half the guys have the day off on Thursday; guys who don’t go to Portland practice that day, almost like split-squad type stuff. 

“We’ll just have to be creative.” 

Podz Point Of Attack 

Training camp this year has been a far different vibe than years past. The Warriors are hammering new ideas offensively and defensively into veterans and younger players. A lot of the offensive concepts already have been drilled into younger players who were around throughout the summer. 

Coaches aren’t worried about either side of the ball feeling a bit foreign right now. It’s the point of training camp and preseason, and perfection is far from what is expected. 

But one of the more important players on the defensive side is someone who has been impressive offensively throughout camp. Playing next to Curry always puts extra pressure on his backcourt mate to be trusted equally on both sides. Podziemski isn’t new to this going into his fourth season as Curry’s teammate. 

Defensively, what has Podziemski learned about playing next to Curry?

“I learned that he’s really good at defense still, even though it’s his 18th year,” Podziemski said. “But yeah, obviously, it’s not crazy to know that if you’re gonna play with Steph, you got to be able to play defense. I think back in the last year, I played really well defensively. I’m ready for that challenge.” 

Podziemski believes his game has grown most defensively from a point-of-attack standpoint over the last few years with the challenges he has faced.

“I think the comfortability of seeing the best players for four years now,” he said. “Obviously, everybody has a rhythm they like to play with, and so learning those guys, especially like tomorrow playing against Darius Garland, playing them in the play-in, they have rhythms that they want to get to. So over time, you get more accustomed to that, and I think that’s where I’ve grown.” 

As a rookie, Podziemski had a defensive rating of 115.4. That number dropped to 112.0 his second season but grew to 116.1 in 2025-26. He and Curry together produced a 110.3 defensive rating over 601 minutes alongside each other last season. 

Another Draymond Adjustment 

Sunday’s preseason opener will give fans their first look at rookie Yaxel Lendeborg after his standout showing in summer league. It also will be their first look at how Green, Golden State’s other starting forward, adapts to the Warriors’ 5-out offense. 

There has been an emphasis on Green to shoot more 3-pointers after making at least 100 of them last season for the first time in a decade. Shooting threes might be his smallest adjustment. Green will not be bringing the ball up the floor and directing the offense as much. 

The last thing Kerr wants to see is Green trailing the offense in transition. 

“It’s the biggest adjustment for him,” Kerr said. “He’s trailed the play for us for years, so we’re telling him every play, ‘Get down the floor.’ And when he’s down the floor, that could mean he’s in the corner, could mean he’s on the wing, but he’s still going to be involved in the action. And when we say 5-out, it doesn’t necessarily mean five 3-point shooters, but it means five guys around the 3-point line.” 

Trailing the play in a 5-out offense is for guard and wings, not for Green. We’ll see just how smoothly he has adjusted to the change. 

Podziemski will be initiating a lot of offense and made it a point to compliment Green for how he has been handling the transformation. 

“He’s been super mindful of that,” Podziemski said. “It’d be easy for a guy that’s been doing it for 15 years now to just be like, ‘Nah, this is how I do it.’ But his adaptability … Steph’s trying to learn the new things, it’s encouraging and it’s a good example for all the young guys to see.” 

Words are one thing. Actions are another. Sunday’s preseason game against the Clippers will give insight into adjustments for all and provide plenty of tape for the team to study.

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