"He's bought into that": JJ Redick reveals tough conversation with Austin Reaves about his conditioning and movement
LA Lakers coach JJ Redick has wasted no time getting to work with Austin Reaves, the latest player he has spoken to about his development. It has been lesss than a month since the Lakers hired Redick. But the former Duke star has hit the ground running and is already implementing a series of changes at the organization.
Redick spoke to NBA.com about his plans for the upcoming season, his views on analytics and player roles for the upcoming season. One noteworthy point from the interview was how he plans to utilize fourth-year shooting guard Reaves. Redick spoke to Reaves about improving his conditioning and movement so that he can be a better fit on offense.
"Him and I have talked, and I asked him about that actually, ‘Did you feel like you got tired at the end of the year,’ and he felt like he did.
"I think a big thing, partially in terms of how I want him to play in our offensive system. He’s gotta get in better condition. He’s gotta be able to move more, and based on our early conversations, he’s bought into that," said Redick.
Conditioning will be a major factor for Austin Reaves, who featured in all 82 regular-season games and five playoff games for the Lakers last season. That's a heavy workload, even for a 26-year-old.
JJ Redick also said that he's looking forward to coaching Reaves and highlighted the Arkansas native's competitive spirit as one of his strong suits. Like all coaches, Redick has a philosophy he would like to put in place and the sooner he can do that, the better.
The 40-year-old coach will look to make an immediate impact in one of the most demanding jobs in the NBA.
Austin Reaves set to play a major role in JJ Redick's new-look Lakers offense
Austin Reaves' rise from an undrafted college player to regular NBA starter in a span of a few years is the type of story most young players dream of. The former Oklahoma Sooner forced his way into a competitive Lakers lineup through sheer hard work and determination.
In his rookie season, Reaves featured in 61 games, starting 19. In 2022-23, he started just 22 games. Last season, the sharpshooter featured in all 82 regular-season games, starting 57 times. Reaves' minutes per game jumped from 23.2 in 2022-23 to 32.1 in 2023-24. That was due to his standout performances and improved offensive production.
With the 39-year-old LeBron James entering his 22nd season in the league, Redick will look to other players to step up and play a bigger role. If Reaves can improve his fitness and movement during the offseason, expect to see a lot more of him in the upcoming season.