On Tuesday, one day after they were swept out of the Western Conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Lakers held an end-of-season press conference. Everyone had plenty of questions on their minds, beginning with questions that pertain to what the team’s roster will look like next season.
LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes will be free agents at the end of June. Austin Reaves is almost certainly going to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, and guard Marcus Smart and center Deandre Ayton can do the same. Therefore, the group the Lakers have in training camp in October could look substantially different from the group that ended this season.
At Tuesday’s press conference, coach JJ Redick said that he wants the team’s “big three” of Doncic, Reaves and James to remain intact for next season.
“Of course we want that core to be back together,” Redick said. “I think Rob [Pelinka] used the word humility. Each guy, I think, had to sacrifice at different points in the season and at different times. I also think for all three of those guys, and it’s crazy to say it about LeBron, but all three of those guys showed a lot of growth this year.
“I think a lot has been made about Luka’s fitness level and his dedication to that. He was great throughout the season, still in fantastic shape six weeks after an injury. But he’s also grown as a leader. I think that was one of the challenges coming into the season that we presented him with. He grew in that regard, Austin grew in that regard. LeBron, not even having to, but being challenged to and volunteering to, accept a different role in Year 23.
“That is incredible. All three of those guys, I think, we kind of hit the apex of that in that 16-2 stretch. It showed what this group can do.”
There were some doubts when this season began about whether that trio of stars could fit together on both ends of the floor. The Lakers were still basically a new team in October — Doncic had only put in less than three months of service after arriving in that stunning trade, and they had added Smart, Ayton and forward Jake LaRavia over the summer while also trading for Kennard in February.
But by the start of March, it all started to mesh together, and they ripped off 16 wins in 18 games until Doncic and Reaves both got injured on April 2. There is an argument to make that the three stars should be kept together and that they simply need more speedy, athletic two-way players around them in order to seriously contend for the NBA championship.
James and the Lakers reportedly have interest in “continuing their partnership.” Meanwhile, Doncic reportedly wants to keep playing alongside Reaves, so much so that he reportedly doesn’t even want Reaves to be traded for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: JJ Redick wants Lakers to keep Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
