JJ Redick Reveals Plans for Lakers' Rotation; Lists Christie, JHS Among Bench Options
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVOctober 1, 2024
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick offered some early insight into his tactical plans for the team heading into the 2024-25 season.
Redick told reporters he's tentatively looking to deploy a nine-man rotation. Aside from the clear locks, he cited guards Gabe Vincent, Max Christie and Jalen Hood-Schifino, forwards Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt and center Jaxson Hayes among his other bench candidates:
The message the front office sent this offseason is that the Lakers already had the necessary pieces to make another deep playoff run; they just needed a different coach to get them there. First-round draft pick Dalton Knecht was the biggest outside addition for Los Angeles.
General manager Rob Pelinka also made it clear he's in no rush to cash in on the franchise's best remaining trade assets. He said last week he wants the return to yield "sustainable Lakers excellence" and prefers to have a sample of around 30 games to judge the current squad.
Redick has already laid out his projected starting five: D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves in the backcourt, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura at the two forward positions, and Anthony Davis at center.
The first-year head coach didn't spring any surprises there.
The challenge for Redick and his staff will come with how he manages his lineup throughout the course of a game because that's an aspect his predecessor struggled with.
The Athletic's Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick reported in April that "team officials and players believe [Darvin] Ham's fluctuating rotations, game plans and lack of adjustments led to an underperforming group."
Davis alluded to a lack of guidance from the sideline as well midway through a first-round series loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Ham is an example of how experimenting too much can backfire. His lineups fluctuated too much and hindered the Lakers' ability to establish some cohesion on the floor.
But Redick will probably try a few different things early into this season so he gets a full picture of what's working and what isn't.
