JJ Redick directly addresses roster void he hopes to see Lakers fill

JJ Redick directly addresses roster void he hopes to see Lakers fill https://t.co/2VboHeDw4v

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) July 23, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers are operating with the apparent hope that addition will come in the form of subtraction heading into the 2024-25 season. After parting with former head coach Darvin Ham, the Lakers made limited moves to improve the roster, relying entirely on the NBA Draft.

New head coach JJ Redick is optimistic about what the current roster can do, but he spoke without hesitation about the areas in which the team can still stand to improve.

Redick is leading the youth movement for the Lakers that has included drafting Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, and re-signing Max Christie. He’s also spoken about how he intends to create a system that runs through Anthony Davis and takes pressure off of LeBron James.

In an interview on NBA Today on SiriusXM Radio, Redick spoke candidly about what he believes the next step is in helping the Lakers contend: Acquiring a big, bruising center.

“You certainly have to look at what I think is actually a very good roster, a very balanced roster. We’d love, we tried, but we’d love to, at some point, get another five-man, a big bruising five-man. You look at the Western Conference right now, whether it’s Denver, Minnesota, OKC with what they added, certainly Memphis, they’re going to be back in the hunt, they added Zach Edey, you’re going to need in certain matchups in the playoffs, you’re going to need a lot of size.”

As the Lakers continue to go through the offseason without adding a single new player via free agency, Redick is refusing to accept complacency.

JJ Redick believes Lakers must improve at center