After a strong start to the season, the Los Angeles Lakers were riding high with a 10-4 record, including a six-game winning streak. Things were looking promising for head coach JJ Redick and his team.
However, as the schedule toughened, the Lakers’ momentum faltered. A three-game losing streak was followed by just two wins in their last six games, bringing them past the 20-game mark of the season.
Following a crushing 109-80 blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Redick summed up the Lakers’ struggles in two words.
“Uneven and inconsistent,” Redick said, via Spectrum SportsNet, adding, “I have not seen us playing the way we played earlier in the year. I’ve got to spend all day tomorrow with my staff trying to figure out how do we get back to that. It’s funny because the first half of Phoenix we did it, first half of Denver we did it, against Orlando seven games ago (against) one of the best defenses in the league, we had a 120 offensive rating. It’s there.”
Offensively, the Lakers have remained consistent, ranking ninth in the NBA with a solid 113.8 offensive rating. Yet defensively, the team has struggled heavily, sitting with a 116.7 defensive rating, the seventh-worst in the league.
Injuries have certainly played a role in this imbalance, with key frontcourt players like Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes all sidelined. The team has been forced to rely on two-way center Christian Koloko, who was recently medically cleared to play after recovering from blood clots.
Redick has had to make bold adjustments to the lineup early in his tenure, including benching D’Angelo Russell in an effort to improve both defense in the starting five and offense off the bench.
While the emergence of rookie Dalton Knecht has been a positive, the team’s defensive struggles remain unresolved. Additionally, the poor form of defensive-oriented players Gabe Vincent and Max Christie has escalated the issue.
The Lakers’ roster also features several project players, such as Bronny James, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis, who are not currently contributing to the team.
Reports indicate that the Lakers’ front office is actively exploring the trade market, with Russell’s expiring $18.6M contract potentially being the key piece in acquiring a quality center or a defensive wing presence.
Ultimately, change in the roster appears inevitable. While the Lakers have shown they can dominate lesser teams, their struggles against higher-caliber competition, evidenced by recent losses to the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Timberwolves, highlight the need for defensive-minded reinforcements.
