LOS ANGELES — JJ Redick has three starters in mind. The other two spots will be decided in a training camp he expects to be competitive.
And guess what, they won't be white guys according to Redick.
The Lakers coach said Thursday he is “pretty confident” in three spots in the starting unit, presumably Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. But when asked about the remaining two spots at the team’s season kickoff news conference, he drew laughs by joking that they “won’t be two white guys.”
The lineup is one part of a larger task for Redick: bringing together a roster substantially changed since Los Angeles lost to Oklahoma City in the second round last season.
“I think with this group, probably the first time in my three years here that I feel like the pieces actually fit together,” Redick said. He described the team’s recent workouts this summer as a “highly competitive gym.”
The Lakers re-signed Reaves, acquired Kessler and added Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams, among others. Kessler gives Dončić and Reaves a target near the rim while providing size and anchoring on defense.
President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka called Kessler a strong fit for both guards, saying, “Walker Kessler makes Luka better. He makes Austin better and vice versa.”
Redick even called Kessler a "perfect fit" for Dončić and Reaves.
Beyond that trio, Redick has choices. Grimes, Thybulle and Williams bring different strengths to the wing competition. He also singled out second-year forward Adou Thiero, saying Thiero’s development over the past two months has been “unbelievable.” That praise puts another young player into the conversation as Redick sorts through his rotation.
Pelinka pointed to the group’s character as another reason for optimism.
He said every player who attended Dončić’s minicamp in Slovenia, 15 of the 16 on the current roster, wrote the guard a handwritten thank-you note afterward. The gesture does not settle anyone’s role, but it offered an early sign of how teammates responded to Dončić bringing them together before camp.
And of course, more attributes to the teams' overall chemistry.
Redick has said the best teams are the most connected. For this group, that will have to show up in defensive communication and in players accepting the responsibilities that come with their minutes. He said the coaching staff has already discussed those expectations with players on the wing.
The Lakers won 53 games last season, but Dončić missed their playoff sweep by Oklahoma City with a hamstring injury. Redick now has a roster built more deliberately around him and Reaves. The first test is deciding who joins them and Kessler when the season opens.