Latest news with #JJRedick
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Bronny James set for major new Lakers role amid doubts over dad LeBron's NBA future
Despite struggling as a rookie, Bronny James is set for a big sophomore season with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to one Western Conference executive. After being selected No 55 overall in last year's NBA Draft, with some obvious interference from dad LeBron James and family friend and Lakers' head coach JJ Redick, Bronny only played in 27 games and 181 big-league minutes. LeBron James' son was far from impressive as a role player, amassing 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game. That's hardly worth the second-most-lucrative NBA contract of all-time for a second-round pick. Bronny spent plenty of time with the G League's South Bay Lakers, where his stats improved drastically with 21.9 points per contest and a 44.3-percent shooting percentage. The 20-year-old James is set to be part of an NBA roster for much longer in the upcoming months due to his impressive developmental-league showing. 'I don't think there's any doubt that's their plan,' the executive told Athlon Sports. 'I know the guy gets a lot of grief because of who his dad is, but we've seen a lot of tape on (Bronny) and the fact is, he was a lot better player in April than he was in October, and definitely in July.' 'He's 20 years old. He had a whole year where his development was thrown all out of whack. But he can defend the perimeter and he showed he can shoot the 3. If he can show that wasn't a fluke, he is going to start getting 10, 15 minutes a night because the team is going to feel like they can trust him.' 'I think he is going to do all that. He is going to be a regular for them next year.' The Lakers do have plenty of options after a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Golden State Warriors. Los Angeles acquired Luka Doncic last season, adding depth to the position where Bronny is best suited to play. It will be tough for Bronny to ever outgrow the influence of his father. One way to distance himself would be to raise his level of play in front of an NBA audience.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lakers Trade Has Re-Invigorated Luka Doncic's Focus On Conditioning And Self-Discipline
It has been months since the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, and questions still emerge about the young star's commitment to conditioning and training. In the aftermath of the deal, the Mavericks cited conditioning issues and weight problems as contributing factors in their decision, which lit a fire under Luka to change his entire approach. "I've heard from folks that are pretty honest that Luka has already begun a clean slate, starting anew, in this mindset of changing a lot about himself," said Jason Gallagher on 'The Dumb Zone.' Advertisement It's been well known that Doncic, 26, has struggled to stay in shape throughout his career. Early on, it was a major problem for Doncic that would cause him to get worn down over a long and competitive playoff series. While Luka's numbers went up, and his accolades kept coming, the Mavericks grew increasingly displeased with their star for his poor work ethic and lazy defensive effort. Frustrations boiled over in the 2024 NBA Finals, when Doncic's mistakes led to an embarrassing defeat to the Boston Celtics. It wasn't long after losing the Finals that Mavericks GM Nico Harrison began his secret trade negotiations with Rob Pelinka, and the rest is history. As a Laker, Doncic has a chance for a fresh start, and the Lakers have done everything they can to ease the transition. They've catered to Luka in every way possible, while LeBron James and JJ Redick started working on a game plan to best utilize his talents on the floor. In the offseason, Rob Pelinka plans to add a center to help shape the roster around Doncic's game. Ultimately, however, it's up to No. 77 to shape his future, and only he can restore his legacy. The good news is, being betrayed by the Mavericks has seemingly inspired Luka to address his flaws and change his mindset when it comes to self-discipline and conditioning. Using the example set by his teammate LeBron James, Doncic will put a renewed focus on his health and conditioning for the rest of his career. Instead of using the season to get into shape, Doncic will be training in the summer to ensure his body is ready from day one. Advertisement For a Lakers team that gave up so much to get Doncic, this is the best news to hear because if he fails to become the leader they need, it could set them back decades. With AD gone and LeBron James inching closer to retirement. Doncic is the future of the Lakers, and their success for the foreseeable future is directly linked to his performance. With averages of 28.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game last season, Luka proved that he can still deliver at a high level, but he'll have to elevate his game further to take the Lakers through the Western Conference bracket. If he starts the work now and prepares for the grind ahead of time, Doncic will have his best chance of delivering the kind of season that will silence his critics once and for all. Related: Jason Kidd Says He Hasn't Spoken To Luka Doncic Since His Trade From The Mavericks
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Dalton Knecht
A year ago, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed to be in a sort of malaise as a franchise. After a geyser of hope had emerged following their appearance in the Western Conference finals in 2023, they got run down in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs in five games by the Denver Nuggets. Then-head coach Darvin Ham got exiled and was replaced by a neophyte in JJ Redick, and the franchise looked like it needed a serious injection of good fortune. It got just a bit of that in the draft, when it was lucky enough to take University of Tennessee stud Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 pick. Advertisement Knecht had been widely expected to be one of the first 10 players chosen, but for some bewildering reason, he fell into the Lakers' laps. His rookie season had plenty of ups and downs, but he got through it in one piece, and his potential hasn't been dampened. Dalton Knecht's season stats In 78 regular-season games with the Lakers, Knecht averaged 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 19.2 minutes a game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from 3-point range. Overall Analysis Bereft of depth, the Lakers needed Knecht to play significant minutes right away, and it wasn't long before he started to deliver. In the month of November, he averaged 13.6 points in 26.3 minutes a game and hit 50.7% of his shot attempts while going 46% from downtown. Advertisement But in early December, his shooting became as frigid as the weather at Mammoth Mountain, and his playing time went down, especially as the Lakers became more of a defensive-oriented unit. Just as it looked like he was perhaps perking up a bit in late January and early February, fate delivered him a weird curveball. The Lakers agreed to send him, forward Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round draft pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams, a young and promising center. It was thought that Williams would team up with recently acquired generational superstar Luka Doncic for years to come — until Williams reportedly failed his physical and the trade was rescinded. Knecht could've pouted and felt rejected, but he responded like a professional. He rediscovered his mojo in March and posted double figures in scoring in nine of 11 games, only to see his playing time almost completely disappear by the end of the month as Redick established his playoff rotation. Again, Knecht didn't complain, even though he got a total of three minutes and 40 seconds of playing time in L.A.'s five-game loss in the first round of this year's playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Advertisement Although he's first and foremost a 3-point specialist, he has shown at least a rudimentary ability to score adeptly from all three levels. He moves well without the ball and gets out in transition, and he finishes strong at the rim by dunking. His defense has been a problem, and it is presumably a big reason he has had trouble holding onto his spot in the rotation. However, he does possess ample athleticism, and therefore, he should have the physical tools to at least become a neutral defender. What's next for Knecht? Knecht is under contract for three more seasons, and the final two years of his contract are team options. In the meantime, expect his name to consistently come up in trade rumors over the next several weeks. He's a young talent whose ceiling could be relatively high but is still hard to discern at this point, and that presumably makes him an attractive piece to other teams. Overall Grade: C This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Dalton Knecht
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers head coach JJ Redick visited a Rams practice this week
Lakers head coach JJ Redick visited a Rams practice this week JJ Redick has silenced plenty of his critics by leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 50-32 record and the third seed in the Western Conference this season. Although they were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs in five games by the Minnesota Timberwolves, it looks like they have found a quality coach to lead them into the future. Even better, it looks like Redick has gained respect from others. On Wednesday, the head coach of the Purple and Gold made an appearance at a Los Angeles Rams offseason practice session, and he even talked to some of their players. Sean McVay, the innovative and bright head coach of the Rams, had some nice things to say about Redick. The Rams have rebuilt very quickly following their Super Bowl championship three calendar years ago. With young stars coming into their own on both sides of the football, as well as newcomer Davante Adams, a six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, they're hoping to get back into the mix for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Redick is likely hoping the Lakers supply him with some young studs of their own so that he can deliver a world championship trophy of his own to the Southland.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers coach JJ Redick in attendance for Rams' 1st day of OTAs
Lakers coach JJ Redick in attendance for Rams' 1st day of OTAs On their first day of OTAs, the Los Angeles Rams had a visitor watching practice. Lakers coach JJ Redick was spotted on the sideline taking in the Rams' practice session, checking out how Sean McVay runs things in Woodland Hills. Redick says he spoke to McVay before taking the Lakers' head coaching job, and though it doesn't sound like they keep in touch frequently, they obviously talk enough to set up this visit during OTAs. 'He is actually someone I talked to a bunch before I took this job,' Redick said in March. 'Unfortunately, we've both been busy and have not been able to connect. His season started and then my season started.' The Lakers' season didn't end the way they hoped with a championship, but after acquiring Luka Doncic from the Mavericks, they made a push toward a playoff berth before getting eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was still a successful first season for Redick at the helm, going 50-32 and earning the No. 3 seed in the West. Being a new coach like McVay once was, it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to heed advice from the Rams' Super Bowl-winning coach.
