Though still very early in his NBA coaching career, Los Angeles Lakers‘ playcaller JJ Redick has had a strong start to his time leading a team from the bench, and there’s hope that he can continue as the franchise enters a completely new era led by superstar Luka Doncic, with the former player still drawing up the plays.
Despite the fact that Redick is entering just his third season as a coach for the Lakers, there is hope the 42-year-old can finally get this franchise over the hump, even though many still question the offseason moves made by the team in what was expected to be the biggest summer in recent team memory.
That should be an even more likely reality based on what Redick has said in recent interviews ahead of Lakers training camp, as according to one team writer, it finally looks like the coach has his finger on the pulse of what the current roster needs to see success.
JJ Redick Comments Are Good News For The Lakers
Speaking in a recent interview with ESPN LA, Redick gave some insightful comments about what the Lakers are looking for this season in the starting lineup. The franchise has yet to formally or informally announce who will be playing the starting small and power forward positions for the upcoming season, but it appears Redick knows the type of players he’s looking for to fill those roles.
“What we’re looking for is consistency and fit,” Redick told ESPN LA. “Obviously, we want guys that can make 3s, but we want guys that can complement them on the defensive end, can make plays off the dribble, can be second-side cutters and second-side shot makers, second-side creators.”
Redick also mentioned the team would use several different lineups throughout the upcoming season. Still, according to Svyatoslav Rovenchuk, writing for LakeShowLife.com, it’s good news for everyone involved with the Lakers that Redick knows what he’s looking for. Though the current forward options might not be top-tier, the fact that Redick knows what he’s looking for is a good sign that he has a pulse on this new-look roster.
“That extra point offered additional reassurance about how the third-year coach is going to remain adaptable in trying to maximize his main guys and the starting lineup that supports them. Redick has shown in his two years of coaching that getting the most out of his group is par for the course,” he wrote. “Redick has set the bar high for himself and the Lakers. Rob Pelinka took more of a cautious approach to discussing persistent championship expectations in Los Angeles, calling the building of a contender an ‘evergreen process.’ JJ, on the other hand, did not shy away from the challenge.”
Redick also previously said that this Lakers’ roster fits together better than what the team had the previous two seasons, which is only more good news to hear, even if he was just pandering to fans and the media, as he probably knows this group better than anyone else on the planet.
“I think we’ve always tried to give our players clearly defined roles. I think with this group, probably the first time in my three years here that I feel like the pieces actually fit together,” he told reporters at a press conference.
Questions remain about the ceiling of this Lakers roster, but if Redick is confident, the players, fans, and everyone involved should be too, even if nobody still knows the two players start games to begin the season.
Lakers Starting Lineup, Power Forward Options
Although Redick said he doesn’t know who will fill out the other two spots in the starting lineup outside of Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, it appears Quentin Grimes will be the one who will start games at the small forward position.
However, as has been the case for months now, and has become a growing question since missing out on several top free agent targets, the power forward position has yet to be filled.
The Lakers have a few candidates to fill that role on the roster, of whom include Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Cameron Carr. All of them are viable options, but not the high-level players the franchise was expected to use in the lineup or land this summer through a big trade or free agency signing.
LaRavia has the defensive upside, while Mamu has the shooting upside. Based on offseason rumors and reports, one of them might be best suited to start at power forward next season, as question marks remain on all the other candidates for the role.
General manager Rob Pelinka also didn’t rule out a trade shortly before the season to fill that hole in the starting lineup. The Lakers remain heavily mentioned in trade rumors for a new starting power forward, but at this point in the NBA calendar, a move right now would be difficult.
Los Angeles has yet to announce who will play the starting power forward position, but Redick’s comments should provide fans with some relief that he knows what he is looking for to maximize the other four players on the court.
JJ Redick Hands Lakers Good News With Starting Lineup Comments