Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said Tuesday that his team's biggest unknown is how the new-look roster will deal with adversity as it prepares for the season opener against the Golden State Warriors. Speaking days before the first game of the post-LeBron James era, Redick said the way the team responds to setbacks in November could differ from how it handles them in March, and he hopes growth over the season will prepare the Lakers for a deep playoff run.
Redick predicted the Lakers would be "really committed to each other," but acknowledged that the large-market franchise faces intense scrutiny whenever it struggles. He noted that the team lost 29 games last season, each of which drew heavy attention. "We've got to work through that together," he said. Redick also dismissed a survey in which NBA general managers labeled the Lakers one of the league's "toughest to predict" teams, calling it a "fun exercise" but saying "predictions don't mean anything."
The roster has undergone a major overhaul. James spent the past eight seasons as the face of the franchise, and several players departed, including Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton. The Lakers acquired center Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz and added several free agents. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler are expected to start, but Redick has not yet named the two forwards. During the preseason, he used 12 different players in his starting lineups while the team went 2-3.
Reaves, now the longest-tenured Laker, said the group is made up of "high-character guys" who will "come together when adversity hits instead of splitting apart." He added, "We're good enough to win a lot of games, but I don't think we're as good as we can be." Redick and his players are betting that the challenges of the early season will ultimately build a stronger team.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing