JJ Redick isn’t pretending the Lakers have it all figured out yet. He’s seen enough to believe they have something worth betting on, but not nearly enough to treat anything as finished.
After practice, Redick made it plain that Los Angeles has the kind of ingredients that can matter when the games tighten up later on. The Lakers coach pointed to the group’s talent, fit, and depth as reasons to like the team’s ceiling, while also warning that the road to real playoff readiness is not a quick one.
“Being a team that can make a run and play in the playoffs and play different ways in the playoffs, those things take time, and it doesn’t mean you’re gonna be in the NBA Finals,” said Redick, via Connor Moreno. “That’s just not the way this works, particularly with the way the playoffs work in terms of matchups. But I think, because of our talent, because of our fit, because of our depth, I really like our team.”
The roster Rob Pelinka put together gives the Lakers plenty to work with, especially around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler. On paper, there’s enough across the board to believe they can hang with the top teams in the West, assuming health cooperates.
But Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors was a reminder that the talent alone won’t smooth out every issue. The Lakers scored just 89 points, yet Redick didn’t zero in on the offense as much as he focused on sloppiness with the ball and work on the glass.
“I’d like us to do a better job of taking care of the basketball,” said Redick, via Dave McMenamin. “I’d like us to do a better job on the defensive glass.
It’s those two things: showing improvement there, and a heightened awareness - a heightened awareness offensively with being organized with certain groups, the heightened awareness of not playing to the crowd, just making the simple play. Defensively, we did three different box-out drills in practice.
That was a point of emphasis for us today.”
That kind of message fits where the Lakers are right now. They’ve got a lot to sort through after a busy offseason that changed the shape of the group on and off the floor, and the preseason has shown that chemistry is still a work in progress.
For now, Redick is choosing the direct route: call out the mistakes, set the standard, and make it clear that minutes have to be earned. The defensive glass has already become one of the clearest test cases for who will stay in the rotation. The calendar is still early, but the tone around the team suggests the Lakers are approaching this season with real optimism - and a long list of things that still need to be cleaned up.
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Lakers Opening Night Lineup Battle Just Got A Lot More Interesting
The Lakers opening-night picture is starting to take shape, at least in the eyes of one well-connected observer, and the latest projection has added a fresh layer to the competition. John Ireland floated a potential starting five that would include Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler, a grouping that would bring together shot-making, size and defensive length if it were to hold up. It is still only a projection based on Irelands report and back-channel information, not an official decision from the Lakers or coach JJ Redick.
Williams status is the detail that makes the conversation more interesting, because he recently returned to full practice after dealing with a foot issue. That alone gives him a real chance to factor into the opening-night mix, especially if the team wants to see how his fit looks alongside Doncic and Reaves before settling on anything permanent. For now, the early competition is still open, but the idea of Williams pushing for a starting role has made the lineup battle worth watching a little more closely. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Get A Different Warriors Test Than Anyone Expected Opening Night
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For Los Angeles, that matters because the Warriors are trying to shore up their second unit while injuries have thinned out parts of the lineup. Charles Bassey is also slated to be in that opener rotation, giving Golden State a deeper and more experienced bench group than the Lakers may have been preparing for when the schedule first came out. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Are Fueling A Bronny Debate They Can't Ignore
Bronny James remains a point of discussion around the Lakers as the organization reportedly stays optimistic about his long-term development and intends to keep him on the roster even after LeBron James move to Philadelphia. For a team that has spent plenty of time trying to balance immediate expectations with future planning, Bronnys place in the picture is getting harder to overlook, especially with his role still taking shape.
The on-court case has not helped quiet the debate. Bronny has had a tough time making a noticeable impact through his first two NBA seasons, and his preseason play has done little to change the conversation. Some fans are now wondering whether the Lakers continued belief in him is being driven as much by marketing appeal as by actual production, leaving the team with a storyline it can no longer shrug off. [Read more 🡒]