Lakers coach JJ Redick breaks silence on roster deficiency amid trade buzz after 27-point mauling
LA Lakers coach JJ Redick kept the record straight about the team's roster requirement after getting mauled in a 127-100 loss against the Suns on Tuesday. The rookie HC pointed out one of the glaring weaknesses amid trade buzz around the Lakers, saying LA doesn't have many players who can pick up full court.
"Some of it is personnel-based. We don't have a lot of guys that can pick up full court," Redick said after the game.
JJ Redick was talking about the lack of point-of-attack defenders. Cam Reddish is one of the most effective players in that regard, but he's the only one out of the 10-man rotation who can do that. Jarred Vanderbilt is the other player, but the veteran forward hasn't made his season debut. He's still two weeks away from returning.
After playing only 29 games last year, Vanderbilt underwent surgery in the offseason and is still recovering. He's multiple weeks away from returning. The Lakers' lack of defensive options on the perimeter has caused most of their defensive woes.
One of their primary areas to address in the trade market is bringing in multiple players who can contain perimeter players and provide decent value on offense.
Lakers HC JJ Redick takes accountability over defensive schemes
JJ Redick didn't entirely blame the Lakers' lack of personnel after another lopsided loss. The rookie coach held himself accountable after pointing out defensive schemes that haven't worked. He suggested the team would reconsider strategies after the Suns "got whatever they wanted."
The Lakers suffered a similar blowout result against the Nuggets on Sunday. LA has switched heavily in both games and suffered the brunt of it. It has been easier for teams to get Anthony Davis out of the paint and exploit LA's interior defense with dribble penetration or simply scoring at the rim with a matchup advantage.
The Lakers don't have many versatile players who can hold their own in such situations. Another area where the Lakers struggle heavily is transition defense. But that merely comes down to a lack of effort and hustle. The Lakers are often conceding a numbers disadvantage, leading to easy transition points for their opponents.
The lack of high-level athletes is the key issue here, especially with 39-year-old LeBron James not being able to engage defensively for longer stretches and Anthony Davis already shouldering the bulk of the responsibilities on both ends.
JJ Redick and the coaching staff can implement various coverages, but every strategy needs certain personnel to get the job done. At the moment, the Lakers don't have that luxury, so it will remain an issue until the front office arranges reinforcements.