Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick isn't backing away from the lofty expectations he has set for his new-look team. The Lakers underwent significant changes this offseason, most notably saying goodbye to LeBron James and officially handing the keys of the franchise to Luka Doncic. Despite the roster turnover, Redick has made it clear that he believes this version of the Lakers has the potential to compete for a championship.
Before training camp, Redick confidently told reporters that he expects Los Angeles to develop into a "championship-level team" this season. That is a significant expectation for a team entering a new era, but Redick isn't concerned about how his comments are perceived outside the organization. "You've got to get things out in the open," Redick told The Athletic.
"We look at this every day. I don't sugarcoat it." Redick acknowledged that teams such as the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have earned the right to enter the season with more attention as championship contenders. But that doesn't mean he's willing to let outside expectations define what the Lakers believe they can accomplish.
"Those teams deserve to be perceived that way, but I don't care," Redick said. "It doesn't matter — the perception of us. That's exciting to me." Redick's confidence comes after Los Angeles spent the offseason reshaping its roster around Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers added Walker Kessler to provide the rim protection they desperately needed while also bringing in players such as Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. Those additions have given Redick something he didn't always have during his first two seasons in Los Angeles: depth and versatility. Redick recently explained that he believes the Lakers now have multiple ballhandlers outside of Doncic and Reaves, more shooting, an elite rim protector and several capable wing defenders.
Those qualities could prove particularly important on the defensive end. Los Angeles finished 20th in defensive rating last season despite winning 53 games and finishing fourth in the Western Conference. Redick believes the team's offseason additions have given him the personnel necessary to make significant improvements on that side of the floor.
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