Addressing the media alongside head coach JJ Redick on Wednesday, Lakers executive VP of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said it will take about 30 or so games to properly evaluate the team’s 2024/25 roster.
The Lakers only added four outside players this offseason, bringing in Dalton Knecht and Bronny James via the draft and adding two-way players Armel Traore and Christian Koloko. The team will primarily be banking on good health luck and internal improvement to take a step forward in the Western Conference hierarchy.
“We believe in this group,” Pelinka said according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link).
The Lakers were in rumors revolving around Hawks guard Trae Young and other big names toward the start of the offseason, but didn’t end up pulling the trigger. If they did decide to swing for a star or role player down the line, their 2029 and 2031 first-round picks would be highly coveted.
“We would do a trade with both picks if that leads to sustainable Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said, per Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina (Twitter link). “We would also use one pick to make a marginal upgrade if we felt that was the right thing to do.”
Here are a few of the more interesting comments from Pelinka and Redick from today’s presser:
- Jarred Vanderbilt underwent procedures on each of his feet this offseason, tweets The Athletic’s Jovan Buha. Pelinka said both operations were successful and he’s optimistic the forward will be ready for the start of the season. According to Pelinka, the surgeries happened at the beginning of the Lakers’ offseason. Vanderbilt had a bone spur in one foot and the doctor recommended going ahead and cleaning up the other foot since he was missing time anyways (Twitter link via Buha).
- According to Pelinka, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino have all been cleared to participate in training camp (Twitter link via Buha). Hachimura didn’t miss much time last season, but Vincent and Hood-Schifino combined to play in just 32 games. The Lakers paid $33MM over three seasons to Vincent last year but he was limited to 11 appearances due to a knee injury. He’ll likely be relied on more this coming season.
- Redick says he’s spoken to D’Angelo Russell more than any other Lakers player. His message to the guard, according to McMenamin (Twitter link), has been “Let’s put you in position to have a career year.” Russell averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists per game last year while making 41.5% of his three-point attempts.
- Redick said he and his staff have already discussed the moment that LeBron James and Bronny James will first share the court in the regular season, McMenamin tweets. Redick will involve both players in the process, but doesn’t view coaching the pair as a challenge.
- Pelinka said he thinks new two-way center Christian Koloko will be cleared by the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play Panel sooner rather than later, according to The Orange County Register’s Khobi Price (Twitter link). Koloko missed all of last season due to career-threatening blood clots.
reason Lakers didn’t make any trades is that lack of assets. A couple draft picks and Reeves is about the only valuable assets they have. They also wanted to attach D’Lo on any of the trades which is a negative trade. What they need to do is hope for better health this year.
Better health with their secondary players, sure. On the other hand, expecting LeBron and AD to again average 73 games played between them is difficult. Probably going to see correction to the mean on both fronts which, in theory, should mean the Lakers are going to be in big trouble.
Lol so Rob is admitting those picks will be super valuable, why?
One of the worst Lakers rosters in years, tbh. If AD and Bron dont play 70+ games each then they arent a .500 team. Yikes.
I think I might be the only non laker fan who actually thinks this team isn’t terrible. I don’t think they’re 1-7 seed good but after Paris it’s hard not to believe in the duo of AD and Bron. I think I also might be the only non laker fan who doesn’t think JJ is a terrible choice.
I would take JJ over Ham 10/10 times. Ham was one of the worst coaches I’ve watched in my life. Both on and off the court. And I had to sit through drunk Musselman all the way to senile Gentry.
Don’t blame Ham he tried resting LeBron and the Lakers refuse to back him up. Lebron plays too many minutes and slumps in the 4th quarter. By the end of the season the team was out of gas. Lakers will not be terrible but they will not be great too. Just the league got better and they didn’t.
Lakers are just afraid to improve.
I actually think is pretty accurate. They’re clearly trying to set themselves up for post Lebron while also trying to present a “contending” roster while LBJ is still playing.