JJ Redick was forced to be adaptable with an imperfect defensive unit in 2024-25 due to the personnel available to him following a midseason shakeup of the Los Angeles Lakers roster. With the improvements made, the head coach has no excuses to continue running a flawed system.
To Redick's credit, there were times went the on-court product did look really good. The middle of last season provided a stretch in which the Lakers boasted the best defensive rating in basketball. That was not built to last.
The majority of the season for the Lakers was spent as an underwhelming unit on that end. They finished the regular season with a defensive rating of 113.8, ranking them 17th in the NBA. They went further in the wrong direction during the NBA Playoffs, ranking 12th out of 16 teams in that same category, with a mark of 116.7.
Redick will need to add variety and creativity to his defensive schemes. Each member of the roster needs to be maximized and well-supported. There should already be a good idea of what that looks like when the 2025-26 NBA season officially begins.
Lakers need to work around their defensive deficiencies
Until Rob Pelinka provides substance to the rumors about adding a two-way upgrade on the wings, Redick will be forced to operate without a perimeter stopper to build his defensive gameplan around. That should mean offering more help where possible, especially for weaker defenders.
Jovan Buha discussed the matter on a recent episode of his podcast. The Lakers reporter painted a clear picture of the adjustments that can be made to avoid having a subpair unit in 2025-26.
Buha said, "They have to be better with their help. Too many times last season Austin [Reaves], Luka [Doncic], Gabe [Vincent] and whoever was being picked on [was] on an island. I don't think their help in those instances was appropriate."
The host of Buha's Block suggested an added level of aggression with either pre-switching or scram switching. Sending a lot more help towards the mismatches could also aid the Lakers in getting up to speed with where they need to be.
Last season, Redick and his group were far too willing to put themselves into situations that could easily be exploited. The series against the Minnesota Timberwolves provides a ton of examples with the Lakers giving up a clear mismatch willingly and facing the consequences immediately.
Redick will need to work towards minimizing those instances next season. A full training camp with this new roster should allow the Lakers coach the opportunity needed to properly assess his group's strengths and weaknesses.