The Los Angeles Lakers are legendary, there’s no doubt about that. But, they’ve been struggling lately, and that’s just unacceptable for a team like the Lakers.
Lakers coach JJ Redick opened up about the team’s issues after a loss Sunday, January 19, to the Clippers.
LeBron James, JJ Redick Talk Lakers Loss to Clippers
“We don’t have a huge margin for error,” Redick said during the postgame chat with reporters. “It has to be emphasized daily to touch the paint, to play paint-to-great mentality, make the extra pass. We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to necessarily always draw two to the ball. We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to be able to get past his guy one-on-one and get to the paint and spread it out to the perimeter.”
It’s interesting to see a coach be so candid about what the team is missing. Now, star player LeBron James is agreeing with Redick. James is someone who’s never shy about wanting or asking for trades to improve a team.
“That’s how our team is constructed,” James said when asked about what the coach commented on. “We don’t have room for error — for much error.”
He added, “We don’t have a choice. That’s the way our team is constructed, and we have to, we have to play close-to-perfect basketball.”
NBA expert and analyst Sam Quinn of CBS Sports asks, “Was James trying to send a message to the front office with his comments? If he was, well, he was being a bit more subtle about it than he was a year ago at this time.”
Quinn adds, “Remember when he wore a New York Knicks towel during a post-game interview at Madison Square Garden? At the time, there were plenty of rumors about James having potential interest in joining the Knicks, but as well-known James reporter Brian Windhorst noted on his Hoop Collective podcast at the time, it certainly seemed like he was using the situation to his advantage.”
Maxwell Ogden of Lake Show Life added, “Los Angeles is currently 22-18, sitting four games clear of .500 and 0.5 games ahead of the No. 7 seed. Despite the fact that the Lakers are on pace to avoid the Play-In Tournament for the first time since its inception, the lack of depth has placed an unimaginable burden on the starters.”
Ogden continued, “James’ comments and concerns are rooted in reality. Los Angeles currently ranks No. 29 in bench points per game, with the second unit also placing 28th in field goal percentage, 29th in assists, and dead last in three-point field goal percentage.”
Later, Ogden added, “One can only hope that Rob Pelinka and the Lakers take James’ comments into account when debating whether or not a trade is truly necessary. In short: It is.”
LeBron James Gives Props to Kawhi Leonard
The Lakers game with the L.A. Clippers brought another meeting between James and rival Kawhi Leonard.
“For me, it’s always great to go against the best,” LeBron said after the game. “And I know I don’t have that many opportunities to continue to go against the best, so it’s good to see him back out there.”