New-look Lakers getting first peek at Luka Doncic era with preseason matchup vs Kings

SACRAMENTO — Outside of brief clips posted on social media, there’s been a mystery surrounding how exactly the new-look Lakers will look against another team.There’s still another two weeks before the Lakers play a game with stakes, but this week will bring clarity. After a weeklong training camp, in which several team members have spoken highly of the intrasquad competition, the Lakers will finally be able to test themselves against another team when they play the Kings on Monday night at Golden 1 Center. The matchup will be the first night of a back-to-back set, with the Lakers also playing the Warriors on Tuesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco, knocking out the first two of five preseason games before the regular-season opener against the Warriors on Oct.21 in Los Angeles. Everything the Lakers have been working on behind the scenes from over the last week — and even longer when counting small-group workouts during the summer — won’t be on display during the preseason. And with coach JJ Redick saying the team was “still working through” who’d be available on Monday against the Kings, there’s no guarantee the lineups used against the Kings will reflect what the team is thinking for the start of the regular season. But preseason games are still meaningful.For the reps the Lakers will be able to get in preparation for the next two weeks. For the opportunities for players to showcase why they should be the ones to start alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler.Or even be in the rotation in the first place.Here are a few things the California Post will look for Monday:It isn’t clear how many games Doncic will play during the preseason. Last year, he played in two of the six preseason games, but that was coming off a summer in which he was with the Slovenian national team for the 2025 EuroBasket through August and September. After having his 2025-26 season end in early April due to a severe hamstring injury and not ...