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J.J. Redick’s Vision Could Transform Lakers Draft, Free Agency, & Trades

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Whom the Los Angeles Lakers draft, pursue in free agency, and trade for this summer will give us revealing first glimpses into the vision new head coach J.J. Redick has for the 2024–25 version of the purple and gold.

The Lakers finished last season 7th in the West with a 47–35 record. Their 115.4 offensive rating was 15th in the league and their 114.8 defensive rating 17th. Combined, the Lakers +0.6 net rating was 19th in the league. While the initial perception was the Lakers’ greatest need was to improve their defense, the reality is they need to improve both their offense and defense to top-ten status to be a legitimate championship contender.

Heading into the offseason, the Lakers need to upgrade both their starting lineup and rotation. They simply have too many one-way players who only excel on offense or defense and need to be replaced by two-way players.
The Lakers need to emulate what the Celtics and other top NBA teams are doing and build out a roster capable of rolling out lineups with five players who can shoot the three on offense and switch everything on defense.

Offensively, the Lakers simply need to take and make more threes. Last season, they made 11.8 threes per game (28th in the NBA) on 31.8 attempts per game (24th in the NBA) despite shooting 37.7% (8th in the NBA).
The Celtics and Mavs led the league with 42.5 and 39.5 3PA per game and 16.5 and 14.6 3PM per game. Playing those teams, the Lakers would face a negative 3-point differential of 14.1 ppg vs. Boston and 8.4 ppg vs. Dallas.

Defensively, the Lakers need an elite point-of-attack defensive guard to slow down opposing point guards, a legitimate bigger 3&D wing to guard opposing scoring wings, and a backup center who can protect the rim.
The Lakers also need a bigger bulkier defensive center who can bang with larger more physical centers like Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis, or Joel Embiid, who can overpower and bully starting center Anthony Davis.

Since the new CBA makes it hard to build championship rosters if paying maximum salaries to three superstars, the Lakers would be smart to use their draft capital to fill their specific needs rather than chasing third star.
Starting next Wednesday, the Lakers trading chips will include three first round picks and three first round pick swaps plus five second round picks. They should use that draft capital to upgrade their starters and rotation.

Financially, the Lakers will likely have to go over the first luxury tax apron to cover raises to players under contract and upgrades to the starting lineup and rotation but must stay under the harsh second luxury tax apron.
That will mean the Lakers will be once again be a luxury tax repeater who will essentially be hard capped by the NBA’s new second luxury tax apron of $190 million to avoid its anti-competitive penalties and disadvantages.

Let’s take a closer look at whom the Los Angeles Lakers with J.J. Redick as their new head coach might target to upgrade their starting lineup and roster via the upcoming NBA Draft, free agency, and trade season.

1. Lakers Draft Targets

The Lakers would be smart to keep rather than trade the #17 pick in the draft because its potential player value is greater than its trade value and it boasts multiple modern two-way bigs who would be great back up centers.

While several NBA teams want to trade their first round picks in this draft, there will be a half dozen quality big men prospects available between the 16th and 30th picks, which makes this draft a great opportunity for L.A.
The Lakers desperately need a backup center when Anthony Davis is on the bench and there are three or four bigs in this draft who could immediately play as backup centers and eventually alongside AD in a two-bigs lineup.

The big questions hiring JJ Redick as head coach raises is what he plans to do with Anthony Davis. We know JJ wants to be a volume 3-point shooting team and would like a modern offense with five guys who shoot the three. Redick will likely have Davis as well as everybody on the team take more threes but will also see this draft as an opportunity to fill the backup center vacancy and also find a modern stretch five who could play alongside AD.

Four potential modern two-way bigs who have been linked to the Lakers in various NBA draft news and mock drafts include Dayton’s DaRon Holmes, Indiana’s Kel’el Ware, Duke’s Kyle Filipowski, and Purdue’s Zach Edey. Holmes, Ware, and Filipowski have all been linked to the Lakers because they shoot the three. Edey is the exception as he has only taken two threes during his career at Purdue but did show 3-point range at the combine.

DaRon Holmes may be the best option as he can stretch the floor, protect the rim, and defend in space. His best NBA comparison is Naz Reid. Zack Edey, whose potential best NBA comp is Brook Lopez, is also very possible. Kel’el Ware, whose best NBA comp is Myles Turner, would also be a great selection as would Kyle Filipowski, whose best NBA comp is Kelly Olynyk. Unless a coveted wing drops, the Lakers and JJ will draft a stretch five.

For a more detailed review of each of these four candidates and how they would fit in a modern Los Angeles Lakers offense and defense, please read 4 Modern Two-Way Centers Lakers Could Select With #17 Pick In Draft.

2. Lakers Trade Targets

The Lakers would be smart to use their draft capital to trade for legitimate two-way players in their mid-twenties who earn mid-twenty millions per year, and can become bigger stars in bigger roles than a third superstar.

Recent early reports have the los Angeles Lakers reopening talks with the Atlanta Hawks regarding a possible mega trade for guard Dejounte Murray, whom the teams previously discussed before last season’s trade deadline.
The big reason the Lakers didn’t pull the trigger for Dejounte Murray at the trade deadline wa they were not willing to include Austin Reaves in the deal. Based on recent reports, Reaves may no longer be untouchable.

The Lakers would be wise to leverage the Hawks’ desire to acquire Austin Reaves by expanding the trade to include Bogdan Bogdanovic, who’s exactly the kind of two-way modern high volume 3-point shooting guard they need.
An offer of Hachimura, Reaves, Vincent and an unprotected 2029 first round pick and an unprotected 2030 first round pick swap for Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic should be an offer Atlanta accepts.

Should the Laker be able to trade for Murray and Bogdanovic, they would then have the the elite modern 3&D backcourt they need to become a top-five volume 3-point shooting team that no longer loses the 3-point battle.
Look for the Lakers and JJ to have Murray, Bogdanovic, and James all take 8 to 10 threes per game in an effort to raise the number of threes L.A. takes from last year’s 31.8 per game to over 40 per game for next season.

For a more detailed review of each of these four candidates and how they would fit in a modern Los Angeles Lakers offense and defense, please read 4 ‘Affordable’ Stars Who Could Be Superstars On Los Angeles Lakers.

3. Lakers Free Agent Targets

While the Lakers need to upgrade their starting lineup and roster, they also should prioritize developing talented young players with two-way potential who showed progress last season and might grow more under JJ Redick.

Focusing on player development due to the restrictions in the new CBA, there are four players about whom the Lakers have major decisions to make as to whether to keep and develop or whether to move on from.
Those four players are D’Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Max Christie, and Jaxson Hayes. Russell and Hayes have player options that many believe they will exercise. Prince is an UFA while Christie is a RFA this summer.

Deciding what to do with D’Angelo Russell is the Lakers first priority. D’Angelo has until June 29 to decide whether to accept his player option. The last thing the Lakers should want is to lose DLO to free agency.
Lakers should offer DLO a new 2-year deal with player option for $20 million per year either in the form of a new Lakers contract or a sign-and-trade deal with another team like the Orlando Magic who needs shooters.

The Lakers should re-sign Taurean Prince to a new contract for around $5 million per year. He’s not a starter but proved to be a valuable two-way wing who was essentially misused by Darvin Ham. He’s just not a starter.
Hayes will likely decline his player option and seek a raise in free agency. Christie is a player whom the Lakers will need to re-sign since he is a restricted free agent. Max should thrive under new head coach JJ Redick.

The Lakers need to figure out how to optimize Russell, Prince, Christie, and Hayes should them end up being part of next season’s roster. They need to keep Russell, Prince, and Christie to maintain their depth and diversity.

Lakers Fast Break NBA Mock Draft Podcast

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Lakers front and center of NBA Draft and start of free agency

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As is often the case, the Los Angeles Lakers are at the center of the NBA offseason for a variety of reasons.

They officially hired broadcaster and podcaster JJ Redick as their next head coach on Monday, a highly scrutinized process that lasted nearly two months. LeBron James’ future hangs in the balance — at least momentarily — even though the Lakers’ operating assumption for months has been that he will return next season. D’Angelo Russell, who noted he has leverage over the Lakers after their playoff elimination in Denver, has the potential to swing LA’s offseason with his $18.7 million player option. As of Wednesday, Los Angeles has access to trade three first-round draft picks for the first time in years and immense pressure to find the right deal.

What we learned about JJ Redick’s strategy in Lakers intro: More 3s, Anthony Davis’ role and more

Just as things appeared to calm momentarily before Wednesday’s NBA Draft, The Athletic reported on Tuesday that James and Anthony Davis want the Lakers to “go all-in for another elite player” — preferably as soon as this week. Hours later, the New York Knicks traded five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal that signified the Knicks’ all-in approach. It also potentially reset the trade market — a negative for the Lakers, who have relatively limited assets in comparison to some of their competitors — after the Alex Caruso–Josh Giddey swap appeared to lower the price for high-level role players.

The Lakers enter this summer faced with countless questions: Will they make a trade that elevates them to true contender status? Is it a third star? More depth? How will James and Davis feel if LA stands pat? Will that affect James’ free-agency decision? What happens with Russell? Can the Lakers find their latest gem with the No. 17 pick? How, if at all, does Bronny James factor into all of this?

Without further ado, let’s lay out the Lakers’ offseason.

Current projected depth chart

The Lakers have eight players on guaranteed contracts for next season: Davis, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Maxwell Lewis.

Here is their projected depth chart with the current group:

Point guard: Vincent, Hood-Schifino
Shooting guard: Reaves, Lewis
Small forward: Vanderbilt
Power forward: Hachimura
Center: Davis, Wood

There is, of course, flexibility with the positioning. Hachimura and Vanderbilt are relatively interchangeable. Davis and Wood can play together in two-big lineups. Reaves can shift down to be the primary ballhandler (and likely would be, anyway). Lewis can theoretically play either wing spot.

The Lakers then have four players with player options: James ($51.4 million), Russell ($18.7 million), Jaxson Hayes ($2.5 million) and Cam Reddish ($2.5 million). Each must decide on their future by Saturday.

Los Angeles also has three players officially entering free agency: Max Christie (restricted), Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie.

2024 NBA Draft

The Lakers currently have two picks in the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday and Thursday: No. 17 in the first round and No. 55 in the second round (via the LA Clippers). They are projected to draft Colorado forward Tristan da Silva at No. 17 and USC guard Bronny James at No. 55 in Sam Vecenie’s latest mock draft.

Given their notable draft track record, and history of draft-day trades, it’s certainly possible the Lakers move up or down in the first round, or trade for another second-round pick.

Wednesday also marks the first day the Lakers will have access to those three tradeable first-round picks in 2024, 2029 and 2031. They also can use pick swaps in 2026, 2028 and 2030.

Lakers’ salary cap

There are numerous ways the Lakers’ offseason can play out, but the most likely scenario is operating as an over-the-cap team that pushes past the luxury tax line ($171.3 million), the first apron (projected at a $178.7 million team salary) and just under the second apron (projected at $189.5 million), depending on the final figures, which will be determined on June 30.

The Lakers will almost certainly stay below the second apron, which effectively acts as a hard cap for most teams given the significant penalties that accompany it. Teams over the second apron, for example, cannot trade first-round picks seven years in the future, lose their midlevel exception, are limited to 100 percent salary-matching in trades and cannot combine multiple players in a deal, among several other restrictions.

Assuming James either re-signs ($49.9 million) or opts in ($51.4 million), the Lakers will have between approximately $153.6 million to $155.1 million in salary with nine players. That’s before factoring in the player options for Russell, Hayes and Reddish, Christie’s restricted free agency (most restricted free agents are retained by their incumbent team), the potential use of the Nos. 17 and 55 picks (or another pick), and the remaining free-agent cap holds for Prince ($5.4 million) and Dinwiddie ($1.9 million).

Here are various salary-cap scenarios for Los Angeles:

Lakers’ salary scenarios

Current eight players
$103,717,825
Current eight + LeBron James
$155,133,763
Current eight + D’Angelo Russell
$122,410,132
Current eight + LeBron + DLo
$173,826,070
Current eight + all four player options
$178,753,962
Current eight + all four player options + No. 17 pick
$182,584,242

The Lakers will likely have one of their two exceptions to spend on a free agent: either the $5.2 million taxpayer midlevel exception or the $12.9 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception (which triggers a hard cap at the first apron).

If James opts in or re-signs, and Russell opts in, the Lakers will only have the $5.2 million exception. If James opts in or re-signs, but Russell opts out and leaves, the Lakers will have access to the $12.9 million exception to replace his roster spot. (As always, there are several plausible scenarios, but those two are the most realistic.)

One under-discussed concern: The Lakers could very well face a roster crunch if all four players with player options opt in and they keep their No. 17 pick. At that point, they’d have 13 players under contract, without factoring in the No. 55 pick, any of their own free agents or any potential signings. In that scenario, the only way the Lakers could create roster spots would be by consolidating the roster through multi-player trades.

Roster needs

There are several clear holes based on the projected roster. But assuming James, Christie and Reddish are back — there is less certainty with Hayes and Russell — the Lakers will still need another two-way wing (or two), another ballhandler and another backup big to fill out the rotation. Hayes and Russell can technically fill two of those voids if they opt in.

As The Athletic previously reported, the Lakers are going to be aggressive looking to upgrade the roster via the trade market. However, vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka tempered expectations on Monday about the Lakers making a sizable trade given the trade market and the restraints of the first and second apron.

“If the perfect trade comes along, we can use picks to make it and win a championship, yeah, we’ll do it,” Pelinka said during Redick’s introductory press conference. “Is that trade going to be there? I don’t know. It’s harder in this system to find perfect trades.”

That messaging, while an accurate depiction of the current state of most trade affairs league-wide, is a departure from the optimism Pelinka displayed at the February trade deadline.

If the Lakers don’t make a trade, they will reasonably only have the No. 17 and 55 draft picks, the non-taxpayer midlevel exception or the taxpayer midlevel exception, and veteran’s minimum contracts to improve the roster.

Two-way wings

There is perhaps no position in the modern NBA more important — outside of superstars capable of leading a title team, obviously — than quality 3-and-D wings. At a minimum, it’s the most important role-player position. Players who can defend multiple positions and credibly space the floor are invaluable.

This has been the weakest part of the Lakers’ roster for several years. They have been lacking in two-way contributors on the perimeter since the 2020-21 season, when they last had Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma and Caruso.

Success in the modern NBA stems from having as many of those types of guys around one’s stars as possible. It’s why the Celtics, Mavericks, Thunder, Timberwolves and Knicks recently had successful regular seasons and advanced past the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers have size with the foundation of Davis, James, Hachimura, Vanderbilt and Wood. But outside of Davis, only Vanderbilt is a plus-defender on a nightly basis. The Lakers need more size that can adequately defend.

Ideally, they acquire a third frontcourt starter who is a combination of Hachimura’s offensive skill and strength with Vanderbilt’s defense, athleticism, length and energy. Few of those players exist, though, and those that do are quite difficult to attain. Regardless, they need someone who bridges the offense and defense better. More likely than not, they’ll have to address this need on the trade market, barring an incredible free-agency value.

Russell replacement?

In the scenario that Russell opts out and signs with another team, or is sign-and-traded, the Lakers will need to replace his 18.0 points and 6.3 assists. That could come in the form of more usage for the rest of the rotation, especially Reaves, who took a backseat to Russell in the offensive hierarchy last season, and Vincent, who is a year removed from being the starting point guard during the Miami Heat’s NBA Finals run. Redick also plans to use Davis more as a hub at the elbows and above the arc, which will redistribute some of the offensive responsibilities.

Nonetheless, the Lakers will need to nominally replace Russell with another point guard. They could sign one with an exception or a minimum contract, they could draft one or they could trade for one. But the Lakers will need to enter next season with more than just James, Reaves, Vincent and Hood-Schifino as their primary ballhandlers.

Backup big man

Similar to the wing position, the Lakers have lacked ancillary centers since the trio of Marc Gasol, Andre Drummond and Montrezl Harrell in 2020-21. Since then, the Lakers have had a revolving door of subpar journeymen and aging veterans. This summer, the Lakers should invest in the position more financially, either through the draft, free agency or a trade.

There’s a reasonable possibility that they enter next season with the same center trio of Davis, Wood and Hayes. That’s probably not good enough, though. Wood fizzled out after a decent start. He never carried the offensive load the Lakers envisioned; he didn’t prop up non-Davis lineups. He scored in double figures in only 15 of 56 games and scored 15-plus points in just three games. Hayes replaced him in the pecking order over the final few months of the season but was unable to find a role in the Denver series and is relatively limited defensively, despite his athletic 7-foot frame.

The Lakers could use someone better than both players — at a minimum, a better rim protector and more physical paint force. It would be a bonus if that player could play alongside Davis in productive two-big lineups — looks the Lakers have used sparingly over the past two seasons,

Point-of-attack defense

This is a more niche concern, as the potential combination of Vincent, Christie, Vanderbilt and Reaves could address the Lakers’ point-of-attack concerns. Vincent missed 71 games last season. Vanderbilt missed 53. Christie was marginalized for over half the season. Reaves began the season with dead legs after a deep playoff run and a summer with Team USA. The Lakers were limited, in part, because of factors largely outside of their control. Internal improvement is possible, if not likely.

But an athletic, quick, defensive-minded guard would do wonders from an optionality perspective. That’ll be tough to add given their limited resources, limited roster spots and greater needs elsewhere. (Bronny profiles as that player archetype, but it’s unreasonable to expect him to emerge as a rotation player next season.)