Lakers will hold training camp at UC Santa Barbara, starting Sept. 27

The next era of Lakers basketball will start in earnest in less than two weeks.

The team’s annual media day is scheduled for Sept. 26, after which they’ll depart for six days of practice at UC Santa Barbara, the team announced today. Camp opens Sept. 27 and continues through Oct. 2. Four of those days will involve two-a-day workouts for the team and first-year Coach Luke Walton.

It’s the first time since 1999 the Lakers have held training camp in Santa Barbara. Last season’s camp was in Hawaii, for the 13th time in franchise history. The team initially announced that this season’s training camp would be held at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo, but those plans changed a few weeks ago.

Throughout the off-season, several players have practiced together informally at the team’s facility, including several veterans and the team’s young core of D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson. This year’s draft picks -- second-overall pick Brandon Ingram and second-round pick Ivica Zubac -- have joined the veterans.

Camp, though, involves the first official and mandatory practices of Walton’s tenure as head coach.

The Lakers open the preseason Oct. 4 in Anaheim against the Sacramento Kings. They begin the regular season at home against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 26.

tania.ganguli@latimes.com

Twitter: @taniaganguli