Ahead of media day for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sept. 28, head coach JJ Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka met with reporters Thursday and spent plenty of time addressing where this team stands after a busy offseason.
The conversation covered the departure of LeBron James, the influx of new faces, and what the Lakers are hoping to get out of a reshaped roster as training camp and the NBA preseason approach.
The most striking comment came from Redick, who said he feels like the roster finally makes sense in a way it hasn’t before during his time leading the team. It was a strong take from the third-year head coach, and one that showed how much he likes the work that was done over the summer, even after LeBron James left to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers in NBA free agency.
Redick also sounded open to a broader evaluation period than he’s typically known for. He usually leans on a tighter rotation during the regular season, but this time he appears willing to let every player on the roster earn a look.
That makes training camp feel like a real competition, with spots and minutes on the line as the Lakers sort through their new mix. The biggest storyline is the starting lineup, which will look very different from last season. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are the only returning starters.
Redick said the starting jobs are “up for grabs,” and he expects a “highly competitive” camp.
Right now, Doncic, Reaves and newcomer Walker Kessler appear set for the season opener against the Warriors. The real uncertainty sits in the other two spots, with the three and four positions still open.
Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili may enter camp as the favorites for those jobs, but nothing looks settled yet. Those final decisions will play out over the next few weeks as Redick and the Lakers try to figure out who rounds out the lineup next to Doncic, Reaves and Kessler when the season begins.
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Rob Pelinka said the Lakers did their homework on Kesslers medical situation and are confident his shoulder injury is fully healed, which is a big part of why they were comfortable moving forward. Even so, as with any investment of this size, the real question for Los Angeles is whether the defensive upgrade they believe they are getting can hold up once the season starts and the games get physical. [Read more 🡒]