Four takeaways from four practices at Lakers training camp

• October 4, 2026

EL SEGUNDO — The Lakers’ first week of training camp is nearly complete as they turn attention to a pair of preseason games in Northern California early this week.

When President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Rob Pelinka primed the 2026-27 season during the annual preseason press conference on Sept. 24 he promised two things: a “highly competitive” training camp and a roster built around Luka Doncic, the franchise’s leading star.

Since Tuesday’s first training camp practice, those keys have been on display as coach JJ Redick formulates his gameplan.

“We had six real practices, preseason last year,” Redick said Saturday. “This year we’ll have at least 12, plus a couple get-what-you need-days (non-mandatory practices). It’s just generally just gonna be a more productive preseason training camp.”

As the Lakers look to their first preseason game on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings – a 7 p.m. tipoff at the Golden One Center – here are four takeaways from the first four practices of the new-look Lakers roster.

Luka, the leader

Redick didn’t scoff when he was asked about Doncic’s leadership and if the star was doing anything “extra.”

But the third-year coach was quick to assert the obvious: the Slovenian star is putting in work as he grasps the reins of the team’s culture from LeBron James.

“I mean, he paid for a private plane for 14 guys or 16 guys to fly to Slovenia,” Redick said Thursday, referencing the offseason mini camp in Ljubljana, Slovenia. “That’s pretty extra.”

During individual meetings with players, which started Wednesday, Redick said, he spent most of the time with Doncic talking about leadership. With experience, he said, comes maturity and age.

Doncic now has all three.

“He’s pretty much seen everything in the NBA at this point,” Redick said.

Doncic said Tuesday that being a leader is nothing new to him. Before arriving in the blockbuster trade with the Lakers in February 2025, Doncic had been the surefire face of the Dallas Mavericks for six seasons.

“I’m fully on board with that man,” Lakers forward Ziaire Williams said Monday.

Who has the ball?

Doncic and Austin Reaves are going to have their fair share of the ball – that much is certain.

But what happens when both of the Lakers star guards are off the floor?

First, Redick said that he plans on having at least one of his stars on the floor at all times in a true stagger rotation.

“That’s generally what teams do, and that’s probably what we’ll do,” Redick said.

But should he need another ballhandler, the Lakers have options: guards Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Bronny James and Jaden Hardy.

“I think with Collin and Q and Bronny, as he continues to develop – Jaden if he’s in the lineup – there’s guys that can handle and guys that can create and initiate offense,” Redick said Wednesday.

Missing from that group is third-year guard Dalton Knecht, who many across the league suspect could be the odd man out in the Lakers upcoming roster crunch from 16 fully-guaranteed players to the league maximum of 15 players before opening night.

The five

No surprise, Walker Kessler will have the lion’s share of minutes at center should he be healthy – and is the biggest- and newest-factor in the Lakers’ in-game strategy heading into the season.

What follows Kessler in depth is less certain. Whereas last season the Lakers had Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes backing up at center – with LeBron James able to defend the post in smaller lineups as well – the depth looks quite different.

Kevon Looney – who won three NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors in the first stage of his NBA career – is the only true center behind Kessler on the roster. And while Looney only played 21 games last season for the New Orleans Pelicans after beginning the season with the injury, the 30-year-old veteran insisted Monday that he’s fully healthy.

“Things was going a little weird in New Orleans, but so I’ve been healthy for a while, no restrictions going into this year, and I feel great,” Looney said.

Redick said that Sandro Mamukelashvili will play some minutes across the post positions, but also on the wing, saying Wednesday that the stretch five can play closer to the basket like Kessler or Looney depending on the matchup.

Kessler referenced forward Jarred Vanderbilt as another player that could defend at center, should the team need him to stretch defensively.

“Speaking to Loon, what a great vet,” Kessler said of the Lakers frontcourt. “He’s done it before. He knows what it takes to win a championship on and off the court. Vando being able to, he’s not really 5, but being able guard 1-5 basically. He’s an unbelievable defender. Mamu’s ability to stretch the floor. We just have a lot of weapons.”

The rook

A big test is on the way for rookie guard Cameron Carr in his quest to surge into the Lakers rotation to begin the season.

The Lakers’ first-rounder – along with second-year wing Adou Thiero – are going to have opportunities to play this season, Redick said, but consistent reps are most important.

“We see a player in Cam; we’re really excited about him,” Redick said Thursday. “You could also see through three days that he’s a rookie. …”

“There were a number of times today where we kind of had to stop a drill, or at one point, a minute into the second scrimmage, I had to call a timeout and bring him over and just teach him a little bit. But he picks up things quickly, so I’m very confident that he’ll have opportunities this year.”

Veteran defensive wing Matisse Thybulle – who first met Carr when the rookie was still in college – called the Baylor product a “sponge,” a young player with an appetite for learning.

“He really wants to understand the game and be able to do it at a high level,” Thybulle said Saturday. “And it’s cool just to be around young guys who care that much. For him, it’s just going to be about the reps, and as he’s going to get them, he’s going to be a great player.”

Carr has admitted that the physicality of the NBA has been an adjustment. But the 21-year-old guard is ready for the challenge ahead.

“I’ve got really good teammates ahead of me that I can just pick their brain, ask questions, watch and learn how to guard at an elite NBA level,” Carr said Monday.

​ Orange County Register 

2026 Election: Lake Forest Measure F would change term limits

• October 4, 2026

Lake Forest voters will be deciding if residents who have served on the City Council should have the opportunity to do so again in the future.

Measure F would implement a four-year waiting period before someone who has served two terms could seek election back to the council. Current law, adopted by voters in 2018, caps service on the City Council at two terms — councilmembers are elected to four-year terms.

In his impartial analysis of the measure, City Attorney Matthew Richardson said if Measure F succeeds with the voters, it would not increase the number of consecutive terms current councilmembers are allowed, but they could try to run again after the four-year break.

The City Council put the measure on the ballot but did not submit an argument in favor to accompany the ballot.

James Gardner,  a former mayor and council member, said in the argument submitted in opposition to the measure that voters already answered in 2018 that there should be lifetime term limits on council members, with 83% in favor.

A simple majority in favor would pass Measure F.  The measure would apply to all winners in the November election and going forward.

​ Orange County Register 

Sparks season review: How LA ended up at another offseason crossroads

• October 4, 2026

LOS ANGELES — The Sparks are in a familiar yet uncertain position after missing the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season, a franchise record.

They enter the offseason without a definitive superstar after Nneka Ogwumike, the team’s all-time leading scorer with 6,625 points, retired from the WNBA at 36.

Some might even call it déjà vu, especially since Ogwumike left as an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Seattle Storm before the 2024 season.

The 15-year veteran averaged 17.3 points and nine rebounds in her final season with the franchise that selected her No. 1 overall in the 2012 Draft.

Guard Rae Burrell, the Sparks’ first-round pick in the 2022 draft, could be the team’s returning leading scorer and cornerstone player after averaging a career-high 14.6 points, nearly doubling her previous career best of 7.5 points. However, Burrell, who just finished her fifth season in the WNBA, is a restricted free agent, which means she can field and accept a contract offer from another team, but the Sparks have exclusive rights to match what the other team is willing to pay to keep her in L.A.

The Sparks are also without a head coach after firing Lynne Roberts on Sept. 25 after two seasons, and less than 24 hours after the season ended. Roberts went 37-51 overall and never made the playoffs. No timeline has been released for when the position will be filled.

Roberts’ brief tenure is another already-seen scenario, following the team’s firing of second-year coach Curt Miller on Sept. 24, 2024, who went 25-55 and also did not make the playoffs in two seasons. Miller’s departure came five days after the team finished 12th in the WNBA, which has added three expansion teams since.

The Sparks, who fired general manager Raegan Pebley on July 12 and hired Ariana Andonian to the same position on Sept. 4, hope they can get lucky in the lottery and move up to the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft. However, Los Angeles will have the sixth- and seventh-best odds among seven teams, their own selection, and the rights to the Phoenix Mercury selection.

Andonian, 31, shared her long-term vision last week. She said it will begin with evaluation.

“Talent identification or player health or player development and really making sure we feel like we’re not only the best in the W but some of the best in basketball,” Andonian said. “That will take time to get there, but really having the standard of a championship-level organization across every department, having people who are willing to go the extra mile, having elite work ethics, who are super excited to be an L.A. Spark. I think those are all the things that I hope get us to where we hope to go.”

After going 8-32 overall in 2024, the Sparks were awarded the No. 2 pick in the 2025 Draft but traded it away for All-Star guard Kelsey Plum. Seattle used the pick to draft French national team center Dominque Malonga, a 6-foot-6 two-way player who can dunk, shoot 3-pointers, and block shots. In her second season, Malonga made her first All-Star team by averaging 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocked shots per game at just 20 years old, which is younger than the age at which American players can enter the draft out of the NCAA system.

The Sparks were 7-5 with Plum in the lineup and 8-8 overall after her final appearance for L.A. on June 21. Plum averaged 23.9 points, second in the league, but after a leg injury forced her to miss six weeks, the team’s record plummeted to 10-17 overall before trading away the five-time All-Star on Aug. 2.

“I think the KP injury really affected everything,” Sparks guard Erica Wheeler said. “She was the head of the snake. She’s responsible for about five of us being here. She recruited us to be here, so I think once that injury happened, that’s when the turn happened.”

Meanwhile, Los Angeles will have two lottery picks in the upcoming draft for the first time since 2024, when they selected No. 2 and No. 4 overall. In that draft, they selected forwards Cameron Brink, a reserve for the past two seasons after a season-ending torn ACL and meniscus injury suffered midway through her rookie season, and Rickea Jackson, who was traded to the Chicago Sky before the season began for two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins, a 2019 WNBA champion and five-time All-Defensive team selection.

However, Atkins, 30, had a disappointing first year with the Sparks, averaging a career-low 8.5 points on 38.1% shooting from the field and 28.2% from beyond the arc.

“Obviously, I’m going to get back in the lab, go to work,” Atkins said. “I might go play somewhere (during the offseason), I might not. We’ll see how it goes but for me I have to come back better and that’s the goal to get better every year.”

The Sparks, who finished 16-28 overall, 12th out of 15 teams, and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, have three starters under contract for next season. Veterans Atkins and Dearica Hamby are locked into two-year deals as the team’s highest-paid players.

Hamby, 32, averaged 14.5 points and seven rebounds, her worst season since becoming a full-time starter with the Sparks in 2024. She is a three-time All-Star.

Wheeler, the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game MVP, has one year left on her contract. The 35-year-old averaged nine points and a career-high five assists per game but only shot 32.6% from 3-point range.

“In the beginning of the season, if you look on paper, we’re a playoff team,” Wheeler said.

Second-year guards Monique Akoa Makani, whom the team acquired in August trade deadline deal for Plum, and Aaliyah Nye, whom the team signed off the waiver wire in late August, are under contract for next season. So are rookie guards Chance Gray and Tonie Morgan.The team controls the rights to re-sign rookie guard Jihyun Park, 26, who is a starter on the South Korean national team. They are also evaluating developmental contract players Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and Shyanne Sellers, who are both rookies that got their starts in the league with the semifinal-bound Golden State Valkyries.

Veteran reserve forward Emma Cannon, 37, who has provided a steady veteran presence over the past two seasons, is an unrestricted free agent.

​ Orange County Register 

2026 Election: San Clemente Measure M would add 1% local sales tax for ‘natural hazards initiative’

• October 4, 2026

Measure M will ask voters to decide on whether a 1% local sales tax, or 1 cent per dollar, should be added to retail sales prices for the San Clemente Natural Hazards Initiative.

Half of the sales tax revenue would be used for a city “beach protection fund,” with the other half going toward “fire protection and wildfire preparedness.”

The tax on retail sales within the city is currently 7.75%, which includes the 7.25% collected statewide and the half cent collected in Orange County for transportation needs. If approved, the total sales tax rate within the city would increase to 8.75%.

The city estimates a new 1% sales tax would result in about $15 million annually for 10 years, and could be extended for another 10 years by another majority vote in eight years.

Those in favor of Measure M argue San Clemente’s beaches are disappearing because of erosion due to the natural sand supply being cut off. Also, homes east of the 5 Freeway are within very high fire hazard zones, which can increase insurance costs and cancel policies and prevention efforts could help that, supporters said in a ballot argument in favor of the measure.

“This citizen-led measure provides a locally controlled solution to address two growing natural hazards threatening San Clemente’s safety, economy, and quality of life: beach erosion and wildfire risk,” the argument says. “Dedicated funding comes from a 1% sales tax for 10 years, with visitors contributing, and does not apply to groceries or prescriptions.”

Supporters also said having local funds dedicated to these issues would allow San Clemente to compete for state and federal funding that require local matching dollars.

The ballot argument penned against the measure says an 8.75% tax would make San Clemente the highest-taxed in South Orange County.

“It’s not ‘just a penny.’ It would raise about $150,000,000 over 10 years, largely paid by residents,” the opposition argument says. “Families would pay more for gas, cars, dining, and everyday purchases.”

Opponents also argue that the city already pays about $12 million each year for Orange County Fire Authority services and there is no safeguard in the measure to keep the new tax revenue from being used to pay that cost.

Measure M would need a simple majority of votes in favor to pass.

​ Orange County Register 

Rams TE room keeps producing despite injuries

• October 4, 2026

The Rams found themselves down two tight ends ahead of Sunday’s 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Promising second-year end Terrance Ferguson had already been placed on injured reserve Friday with an ankle sprain, then starter Colby Parkinson was ruled out 90 minutes before kickoff with a shoulder injury.

But despite being down to three tight ends and unable to run the 12- and 13-personnel sets that have invaded the offense, the Rams still got some productivity out of the position against the Eagles.

Veteran Tyler Higbee, the lifelong Ram brought back on a team-friendly deal in the spring, continued his reemergence with five catches for 67 yards. Only Puka Nacua had more receiving yards for the Rams on Sunday. This followed an eight-catch, 62-yard performance last week against the Broncos.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford targeted Higbee twice on fourth down against the Eagles, highlighting the confidence he has in the 33-year-old tight end.

Fourth-year tight end Davis Allen did not come down with either of his targets on Sunday, but he contributed in the run game.

Rookie second-round pick Max Klare only played one offensive snap on Sunday. Even with the injuries in the room, the former Ohio State prospect is still in the midst of his transition to the NFL.

“I’ve seen a guy that’s maximized a lot of opportunities in practice and done some things on special teams,” head coach Sean McVay said when asked about Klare on Wednesday. “Got a lot better throughout the course of camp. Hasn’t taken quite as many reps just because of the top-four guys for the most part being available.”

Nuts and bolts

Rams receiver Davante Adams crossed 13,000 career receiving yards with his four-catch, 32-yard performance against the Eagles. … Defensive tackle Poona Ford left the game Sunday with an upper-body injury but was able to return to play. … Receiver Konata Mumpfield also returned to action after a shoulder injury limited him in the first half. … Outside linebacker Byron Young set a career-high with his 2.5-sack performance against the Eagles.

​ Orange County Register 

Kyren Williams powers Rams’ comeback win over Eagles

• October 4, 2026

Kyren Williams refused to die on Sunday. In his refusal, he dragged the Rams with him. And in doing so, he might have saved his team’s season.

Williams scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, breaking an arm tackle on the second, to erase a 10-point deficit and secure a 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

On the first, Williams was stopped just short of the end zone on one of his 10 receptions. No matter. He powered into the end zone to cut the Rams’ deficit to three. On the second, he looked like he would be taken down for little to no gain. Instead, he ran through the arm tackle and into the end zone for the Rams’ first lead of the game, with 1:10 to play.

“It’s just who he is,” head coach Sean McVay said. “The spirit, the energy, the competitiveness. I freaking love that guy. I love everything he’s about. If you say you wouldn’t want that guy in your foxhole, then you’re in the wrong foxhole.”

Before that fourth quarter, the Rams had struggled to do anything of note on offense.Dropped passes, missed blocks, overthrown balls and — above all — penalties defined the day for quarterback Matthew Stafford and his unit.

The rainy conditions at Lincoln Financial Field made an immediate impact on the game. Stafford overthrew Konata Mumpfield on the Rams’ opening possession, and it was intercepted by safety Andrew Mukuba and returned the ball 21 yards to the Rams 28.

It was the first of two interceptions by Stafford, bringing his total this year up to six. The two turnovers led to 10 Eagles points. A 41-yard punt-return by former Ram Britain Covey set up the first of Cooper’s touchdowns, so the Rams gifted the Eagles 17 of their 20 points before the half.

Late in the third quarter, head coach Sean McVay took a knee at the center of his offense. It had stalled again, this time due to penalties on receiver Puka Nacua and a member of the coaching staff for getting in an official’s path on the sideline.

McVay implored the offense to get back on the right page, before the game slipped away.

“I think there were a lot of opportunities to execute that we just didn’t,” McVay said.

In the last half of the fourth quarter, the group came to life.

A fourth-down stop turned the Eagles over with 7:26 to play. That set the Rams up at their own 2-yard line, needing 98 yards to get back into the game. That seemed insurmountable with the way the Rams (2-2) had played to that point.

But Stafford threw four consecutive completions for 63 yards to get the rhythm going, then Williams drew a late hit out of bounds on third down to get the Rams into the red zone. Williams punched the ball into the end zone for a touchdown, and the Rams had life with 3:27 to play. But he quieted down any celebration of the score, still work to do.

The Rams defense then did what it had done all day. Safety Kam Curl broke up a third-down pass over the middle as the Eagles (2-2) failed to convert on third down for the 11th time in 11 tries.

“I think a lot of teams would have folded in those situations,” McVay said. “But our defense kept giving us a reason to believe.”

With the ball back at their 21 and 2:55 to play, the Rams turned to Nacua to get them down the field, gaining 35 of his 125 yards on the day. Then on the goal line, it was Williams’ turn again, running through the arms of linebacker Jeremiah Trotter and into the end zone to cap off his day with 146 all-purpose yards and two scores.

Before that fourth-quarter effort, the Rams had been staring down the possibility of starting the season 1-3 with the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen coming to SoFi Stadium next week. With the mounting injuries, it felt like the season was slipping away from the Rams.

But two gutsy drives capped off by their workhorse captain Williams, and the Rams were heading home having finally gotten the Eagles off their backs.

​ Orange County Register 

USC’s Jahkeem Stewart reintroduces himself at ’22 miles per hour’

• October 4, 2026

Jahkeem Stewart left no mystery as to how he was feeling after USC’s 25-21 win over Washington on Saturday night.

“I’m hungry,” the defensive tackle told a room of reporters. “I need some gumbo.”

He’s known around USC as one of the best cooks on the team, specializing in the Cajun-meets-Creole dishes that his home state of Louisiana is known for, and he reiterated the need for gumbo as he left the press conference.

It was a priceless reintroduction for a player who seemed to be on the verge of fading into oblivion after a highly promising start to his college career.

“It’s unbelievable,” defensive end Luke Wafle said of Stewart. “Whenever his name is called, he’s ready to take snaps and he’s done an unbelievable job. We’re definitely privileged to have him.”

Stewart was a prized recruit who was 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds and the No. 13 defensive lineman in the country when he committed to USC. He finished a breakout freshman year with 18 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks — despite playing the entire year with a stress fracture in his foot.

Foot injuries can be detrimental for a football player, especially linemen who are cutting, moving laterally and exploding toward the line of scrimmage with significant body weight.

Although coaches or players never let on to the severity of the injury, Stewart appeared to be in danger of following a disappointing path after missing the first four games of this season.

The pass rush struggled without Stewart, a defensive spark who was dutifully, energetically supporting his teammates from the sidelines.

“Our D-line is the tip of the spear,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “We have put a massive emphasis in every way possible to make our D-line as good as we can. We’re to the point where we need to expect a big-time performance out of that group every week.”

And Stewart, now carrying a listed 295 pounds, was big-time on Saturday night. Linebacker Elijah Newby provided enough pressure on Washington quarterback Demond Williams to force him to cough up the ball, and Stewart was there in the backfield to scoop it up and run 48 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

“I picked the ball up and ran 22 miles per hour,” Stewart said, with a big smile.

“If that was 22, they’re going to disband that GPS company,” a laughing Lincoln Riley replied.

It was the longest touchdown by a USC defensive lineman since Jamaal Jarrett scored on a 70-yard interception against Purdue last season — a play that was affectionately dubbed “the thicc six.”

It was also the first fumble recovery touchdown for the Trojans since Stanley Ta’ufo’ou scored on a 23-yard recovery against Nevada in 2023.

USC’s defense took a step forward against Washington, holding Williams to a season-low 198 passing yards. The Huskies collected 203 total passing yards, which was the second-fewest out of all of the Trojans’ opponents this season.

Whether that’s due to defensive coordinator Gary Patterson’s move from the sidelines to the booth remains to be seen. A larger sample size is needed before a clear judgment can be made.

“We’ve got a heck of a defensive staff,” Riley said. “It’s kind of like players, right? You’re trying to move the chess pieces to put everybody in the right position to get the best out of them. And I thought our coaches on the field did a great job, I thought Gary called a really good game. And the players responded.”

USC’s next task is a Penn State team that has fallen out of the AP Top 25 rankings after two straight losses to Wisconsin and Northwestern. The Nittany Lions are roughly in the middle of the Big Ten Conference, scoring 32 points per game.

It’ll be another opportunity for the Trojans to step forward, and also a chance to compare defensive coordinators as well as the USC’s defensive past and present. USC hired Patterson after D’Anton Lynn left to become the defensive coordinator at Penn State.

“We’re just worrying about us playing for our team,” Stewart said. “I feel that’s what we did and we came out victorious. There’s a lot to fix, but we have one of the best staffs in the country. Because we’re going to fix it. No team comes out perfect, and I feel as though it takes time.”

​ Orange County Register 

NLDS Game 2: Dodgers vs. Braves, lineups, starting pitchers, TV info

• October 4, 2026

BRAVES AT DODGERS

When: Sunday, 5 p.m.

Where: Dodger Stadium

TV: FS1, 570 AM, 830 AM, 1020 AM, 1330 AM

THE LINEUPS

Here is the Dodgers’ starting lineup, with Miguel Rojas at third base against another left-hander

Tonight’s #NLDS Game 2 Dodgers lineup vs. Braves: pic.twitter.com/M1BdZYCV0D

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 4, 2026

The Braves have yet to reveal their lineup. Stay tuned.

THE PITCHERS

DODGERS LHP BLAKE SNELL (4-1, 1.90 ERA)

Career vs. Braves: 0-3, 3.49 ERA (6 games, 6 starts, 28⅓ innings, 30 Ks)

At Dodger Stadium: 8-2, 1.69 ERA (18 games, 18 starts, 90⅓ innings, 115 Ks)

Postseason history: 7-5, 3.27 ERA (18 games, 15 starts, 82⅔ innings, 102 Ks)

Loves to face: Mike Yastrzemski, 0 for 8, 4 Ks; Austin Riley, 1 for 10, 4 Ks

Hates to face: Sean Murphy, 3 for 8, double, HR; Ozzie Albies, 4 for 12, double, 3 RBIs

BRAVES LHP RAY KERR (0-0, 1.47 ERA)

Career vs. Dodgers: 0-0, 5.06 ERA (5 games, 0 starts, 5⅓ innings, 3 Ks)

At Dodger Stadium: 0-0, 6.75 ERA (2 games, 0 starts, 2⅔ innings, 1 K)

Postseason history: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (1 game, 1 start, 3⅓ innings, 2 Ks)

Loves to face: No player with more than two at-bats vs. him

Hates to face: No player with more than two at-bats vs. him

UP NEXT

Game 3: Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 14-9, 2.53 ERA) at Braves (LHP Chris Sale, 14-9, 2.16 ERA), Tuesday, 3 p.m. PT, FS1, 570 AM

​ Orange County Register