EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Hours after his team’s season ended unceremoniously in five games in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick looked ahead to next season and challenged his group’s conditioning.
“I’ll start with the offseason and the work that’s required in an offseason to be in championship shape,” Redick said Thursday in a news conference. “And we have a ways to go as a roster. And certainly, there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape. There’s certainly other ones that could have been in better shape. That’s where my mind goes immediately, is we have to get in championship shape.”
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The Lakers sputtered in the fourth quarter of all five games in their 4-1 series loss to the Timberwolves. Minnesota outscored Los Angeles 127-85 in the collective fourth quarters, a decisive advantage that swung several games in the series.
“Maybe this is hard sometimes for a coach or a player to admit this: We lost to a better team,” Redick said. “That’s just the reality. We did.”
The other key factor in the Timberwolves’ favor was their considerable size advantage. The Lakers progressively went smaller throughout the series, eventually benching starting center Jaxson Hayes by Game 5 as he struggled to stay out of foul trouble and rebound. Rudy Gobert obliterated the Lakers in Game 5 with career highs in playoff points (27) and rebounds (24).
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka noted the obvious: The Lakers need to add a starting-level center this offseason, whether in free agency or by trade.
“One of our primary goals is going to be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position,” Pelinka said.
Pelinka added that the Lakers want a “vertical threat, lob threat and someone that could protect the interior defensively.” He noted that there are stretch-5s who can also protect the rim. Luka Dončić excelled in Dallas alongside Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, making that archetype the most logical addition.
The Lakers tried to add that type of big ahead of the deadline by trading for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, but they rescinded the deal after the 7-footer failed his physical with the Lakers.
“The trade deadline and the moments up to it don’t allow you the requisite time to explore every single unturned stone to add a big to our roster,” Pelinka said. “We just didn’t have the time after the Luka trade. But now we do.”
Pelinka also said the team could use more defensive help on the perimeter.
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“I think in terms of just solidifying our defensive core on the wings and just making sure that we have players that can defend the wing position,” Pelinka said. “That’s an essential need. We see it playing out in the playoffs, and anytime you can upgrade your defensive core on the perimeter, I think that’s going to help.”
Arguably the biggest domino of the Lakers’ offseason will be 40-year-old superstar LeBron James, who has a $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season, when he would play in his NBA-record 23rd season.
Pelinka knows the organization will have to continue to improve the roster to keep James happy.
“I think LeBron’s going to have high expectations for the roster,” Pelinka said. “And we’re going to do everything we can to meet those.”
Entering next season, the Lakers’ goal is to reshape the roster around Redick’s coaching sensibilities and the strengths of their three best players in Dončić, James and Austin Reaves.
“The level of confidence in Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Luka Dončić is at an all-time high still,” Pelinka said. “I think those three guys have incredible promise playing together. And we will collectively do a better job to make sure they’re surrounded with the right pieces to have ultimate success.”
(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / Imagn Images)
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