Oct 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick holds the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Lakers are somewhat of an enigma in the Western Conference this year. Everyone respects their star duo, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, but it’s debatable if they have enough depth to contend with the likes of the Thunder, Spurs, Timberwolves, and Nuggets in the West.
As always, a key part of their success lies on the defensive end, an area where the Lakers have struggled in recent years. Fortunately, head coach JJ Redick has seen some positive strides, and it could hint at an overachieving season for the Purple and Gold.
“From early in September, and even kind of early training camp-ish, maybe before we played our first game, I thought we could potentially be, like, around an average defense, but I think our standards for that have elevated,” Redick said on Tuesday. “We have a chance to be a good defense, and there are certain things we want to get better at. But the areas of focus for us — transition defense, defensive rebounding — we weren’t good [during preseason]. So if we get better at that, I think we’ll have a chance to be a pretty good defense, and that’s exciting.”
JJ Redick initially saw the Lakers as an average defensive team, meaning they would have to rely on their scoring to keep them in games. That perception gradually changed as the preseason went on, however. As JJ saw his roster in action for the first time, he understood that his team could do more than be “average” on defense, but it requires some work to reach a higher level.
Specifically, Redick says the Lakers need to work on their transition defense and defensive rebounding, two categories where they were exposed in the preseason. As much as the Lakers have stressed these skills in practice this month, it’s going to take time before it translates into regular season action, and it’s all thanks to the Luka Doncic trade.
The Lakers were dominant on defense during their 2020 title run, but giving up Anthony Davis completely stripped their defensive identity. Ever since the move that changed everything, they’ve been trying to compensate, with GM Rob Pelinka cycling through big men to find the right fit. Eventually, he settled on former Jazz center Walker Kessler, who has accepted his role without hesitation.
With career averages of 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game on 70.3% shooting, Kessler is projected to make a huge difference on the Purple and Gold; though they’ll need more than just him to be respectable on that end of the floor. Guys like Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney, and Matisse Thybulle will also have to contribute to help the Lakers contain some of their strongest opponents.
Ultimately, there’s no doubt the Lakers can score with the best of them. Between Reaves and Doncic, they have two go-to options to keep the points flowing. For Redick, the key to being the best version of themselves is what happens on the other end. That’s why setting expectations so high is such an important step for this Lakers team to set the right tone from the start.
Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media.