JJ Redick was hired to change things for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he keeps one important aspect the same.
The Lakers head coach revealed in an interview on ESPN’s “The Lowe Post” Podcast which will start with the team’s most used lineup from last season:
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Anthony Davis
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Rui Hachimura
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LeBron James
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Austin Reaves
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D’Angelo Russell
“Yeah, it’s going to be the five starters that went 23-10 last year,” Redick said.
Even though Lakers training camp doesn’t start until next week, Redick clearly believes he already knows what will work best for the team. Last season, the James-led quintet was used for a team-high 388 minutes, according to Basketball Reference, and outscored the competition by 6.8 points per 100 possessions.
While it makes sense to stick with what worked last season, the reason Redick has this job in the first place is how bad last season was under previous coach Darvin Ham. The Lakers finished eighth in a competitive Western Conference with a 47-35 record, but were unceremoniously eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in a gentlemanly sweep in the first round.
Redick attempted to explain what will be different in the lineup and on the team as a whole, and it basically boiled down to taking more shots in the paint and at the 3-point line, while pushing for more rebounds on offense:
“I think in terms of how the offense looks, there’s going to be a decent amount of movement. Hopefully, the shot profile will improve. You know, we’ve talked about ways to create more touches in the paint. We’ve talked about ways to shoot more 3s.
“We’ve talked about the leeway you have to give certain players with their mid-range shots, whether it’s in the post or on isolation plays. But we expect the shot profile to have improved. I think from a possession standpoint, one of the leeway this team created last year, and historically with this group, has been free throws.
“Other than that, there hasn’t been a lot of margin creation, so we’re going to try to create some. One of them is that we’re going to put a lot of emphasis on offensive rebounds and corner drives.”
Redick doesn’t have many options beyond teaching an old lineup new tricks after a static Lakers offseason in which the team barely added any significant contributors. The team was limited from a cap space standpoint, especially after Russell exercised his $18.7 million player option, and every veteran James traded for was a stretch. He was willing to take a pay cut to accommodate. He signed elsewhere. James ended up signing a two-year, $104 million max contract.
The Lakers’ most notable additions came via the draft, with No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht and No. 55 pick Bronny James. Knecht, a 23-year-old sharpshooter from Tennessee, is far more likely to see playing time this season. Redick indicated that the G League would be a major factor in the team’s plans to develop the young James into an NBA player.
Redick also had a curious response when asked about Anthony Davis’ long-term shooting woes:
“I have a theory about that. I have a theory about that. It’s not one I’m willing to share publicly… And you know what, if my theory turns out to be correct, I’ll share it with you later in the season. But I do have a theory about that.”
The Lakers will get their first chance to show their improvement on Oct. 4 in their preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
