Off the bench, on the beach

Luke Walton, a rookie with the Lakers and son of basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton, has purchased a townhome in Manhattan Beach for $860,000.

The 6-foot-8 forward, 24, bought a unit with three bedrooms and three bathrooms in 1,820 square feet. The gated development was built in 1983.

Walton was selected in the second round of the 2003 NBA draft by the Lakers, now in the Western Conference playoffs. He has had more playing time than many rookies because of Laker injuries.

Walton made his first pro start in March when Slava Medvedenko was sick. During his first 60 professional games, Walton averaged 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

A college player for four seasons in Arizona, Walton grew up in San Diego and is the third of the four sons of former UCLA and NBA great Bill Walton, now a commentator for ESPN.

Phyllis Cohen-Edwards of Shorewood Realtors, Manhattan Beach, was the listing agent and represented Luke Walton in his purchase.

‘Malcolm’ costar sells in Calabasas

Justin Berfield, who plays Reese -- the troublemaking second oldest of five boys -- on the Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle,” has sold his Calabasas home for $935,000.

He has purchased a gated Hollywood Hills home for slightly more than $1.2 million from Jaime Pressly, who appears in the recurring role of Alex -- the sassy dental assistant -- on the NBC show “Happy Family.” Pressly bought a Spanish-style home in the hills of Encino.

Berfield purchased a Spanish Mission-style home with five bedrooms and four bathrooms in 3,500 square feet.

The 18-year-old recently finished filming the 100th episode of “Malcolm in the Middle.” He is an investor in the upcoming Coen brothers musical comedy “Romance & Cigarettes.”

Pressly, 26, has had guest appearances in such TV series as “Charmed,” “The Twilight Zone” and “Becker.” She has been featured in Playboy magazine and has her own lingerie line, J’Aime.

Patte Gilbert of Prudential California Realty, Calabasas, represented Berfield in his sale and purchase. Kara Karns of Re-Max on the Boulevard, Studio City, represented Pressly in her transactions.

Piven wants to be closer to beach

Jeremy Piven, who costars in the upcoming HBO comedy series “Entourage,” has put his Santa Monica home on the market at just under $2.5 million. He plans to move closer to the beach.

Piven bought the house about two years ago. Designer Tom Calloway turned the 1921 home into an early-California hacienda-style home with updated conveniences.

The hacienda has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, including a guesthouse, in about 2,800 square feet. It has wood plank floors, antique doors and shutters, beamed ceilings and a master bedroom with fireplace. The guesthouse has a fireplace, kitchenette and media room.

Piven, 38, played the neurotic comedy writer on the HBO series “The Larry Sanders Show.” He portrayed a comic villain in the movie “Old School” (2003) and a vacuous newscaster in “Scary Movie 3” (2003). He played a Secret Service agent in the comedy “Chasing Liberty,” released in January.

Susan Livingston of Palisades Realty in Pacific Palisades has the listing.

Former owners include Garbo

A Brentwood home owned by a number of celebrities at various times has come on the market at $6.6 million.

Past owners, who also have lived there, include actors Ruth Hussey, Jack Oakie, Greta Garbo and Mark Harmon as well as Harmon’s father, football great Tom Harmon, and director Henry Potter.

A physician has owned the more than 5,000-square-foot home in recent years. He is selling because his family is grown, and he no longer needs a home of this size.

The house, designed by John Byers and built in 1931, is a Monterey colonial and has rolling lawns, a tennis court and a pool with two changing rooms. The home also has five bedrooms and five bathrooms and sits on almost an acre.

Kay Pick of Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills North, is co-listing the home with Bette Lethe at Sotheby’s International Realty, Beverly Hills.

Fewer stairs for a growing family

Randy Spendlove, president of motion picture music for Miramax Films and a Grammy-winning record producer, and his wife, model-actress Alecia Guzman, have sold their Hollywood Hills home for about $3.8 million and purchased a Beverly Hills-area house for nearly the same price.

The couple are starting a family, and their former home is multilevel with many stairs; their new house has only two stories. The home they sold is Mediterranean in style and has seven bedrooms and 7 1/2 bathrooms in just under 6,000 square feet. The house also has city-to-ocean views, beamed ceilings and four fireplaces.

Spendlove was executive music producer for the film “Chicago,” and he is in charge of music for such upcoming movies as “Shall We Dance?” The film, starring Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez, is due out in August.

Guzman has appeared in ads for Old Navy clothes and Clairol Herbal Essences shampoo.

Terri Garber and Donna Mann, both with Prudential John Aaroe, Sherman Oaks, had the listing and represented the couple in buying.

To see previous columns on celebrity transactions visit latimes.com/hotproperty.