JJ Redick Promises Lakers’ Starting Lineup Won’t Be ‘All-White’ After Recent Criticisms

JJ Redick spoke about the roster additions and starting lineup heading into the new season.

JJ Redick Promises Lakers’ Starting Lineup Won’t Be ‘All-White’ After Recent Criticisms

JJ Redick (Image credits - The New York Times)

The Los Angeles Lakers are officially entering a new era under JJ Redick. Following the departure of LeBron James after eight years in LA, the Lakers had a very busy summer as they look to contend for championships in the post-James era.

The hiring of Redick as head coach of the esteemed organization in 2024 caught several eyeballs. After the dismissal of Darvin Ham, Redick became the Lakers’ 29th head coach. It was a surprising call from the Lakers management, as Redick had no prior coaching experience.

However, the former NBA star has done a fine job in his first two seasons as head coach. He led them to the playoffs both years and will look for a deep postseason run next year.

The Lakers’ new-look roster has drawn mixed reactions. While some believe that they will be competitive in a stacked Western Conference next season, some view them as an overrated team.

During his season-opener press conference, JJ Redick spoke about his starting lineup for next season.

I’m pretty confident in three of the spots. The other two spots will not be two white guys.

JJ Redick in his press conference

JJ Redick’s comments drew some laughter in the room. They referenced Stephen A. Smith‘s comments on the new-look Lakers roster.

The ESPN analyst was critical of the roster as three of their top three players are white. While Smith was criticized for his controversial comments, he stood his ground and doubled down.

With Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler occupying three starting spots, Redick has yet to settle on the final two. But based on Redick’s comments, they will not be occupied by two white guys.

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JJ Redick gives a glowing assessment of the Lakers’ roster

The Lakers have been through a number of changes in the summer this year, both on and off the court. After buying the organization last year, Mark Walter sold the Lakers to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger in the offseason.

The new ownership has generated excitement within the franchise as they kickstart a new era this year. Similarly, there is a lot of excitement surrounding their roster as well. While he won’t have James’s presence in the locker room, JJ Redick is happy with the balance of his new roster.

I think we have really great wing depth, and I’m really excited for camp to start next week. We’re going to have a highly competitive camp. I think we have enough perimeter defense. We have plenty of shooting and plenty of ball-handling, so this is not a full rebuild around Luka in one offseason. I like everything we did this summer to build around him.

JJ Redick in his press conference

With Luka Doncic as the centerpiece of the team, the Lakers front office has done everything they can to build their roster around him. The Lakers have more questions than answers with just a month to go for the new season.

Can JJ Redick lead the Lakers to a championship?

Life has not been easy for JJ Redick after joining the Lakers as the head coach. Many questioned his arrival because he lacked top-level coaching experience.

JJ Redick
JJ Redick (Image credits – Duane Rankin/X)

However, it is fair to say that he has responded to his critics with the work he has put in. He led the Lakers to a third-place finish in his first season and a fourth-place finish in his second campaign. During this period, he became the third head coach for the Lakers after Pat Riley and Phil Jackson to win 50 games in two consecutive seasons.

Unfortunately, Redick has not been able to translate his regular season success into the postseason. In his first season, they were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round, and in his second year, they were clean swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Conference Semifinals.

The Lakers may not boast a roster like the Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, but JJ Redick looks confident about his team’s chances next year. The hope is that the team will be healthy enough to execute their head coach’s vision.

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