When the Los Angeles Lakers controversially hired JJ Redick to become their new head coach, he made an instant commitment to changing the way the franchise prioritized internal development. Los Angeles had made a habit out of disregarding the value of developable youth and Redick was fixated on addressing the issue.
Redick did what he could with the limited resources he had through two seasons, but with LeBron James moving on from Los Angeles, the shift appears to have officially begun.
James did remarkable things in Los Angeles, including the simple fact that he helped drag the Lakers out of a near decade of post-Kobe obscurity. As he defied Father Time, however, Los Angeles often prioritized short-term moves that seemingly treated every season as though it could be his last.
The first summer without James on the roster, however, has been defined by an effort to become a younger team with more long-term assets to wield.
Lakers are finally prioritizing player development under JJ Redick
In some respects, that's led the Lakers to swapping out draft picks for a young player who combines upside and immediate value. In others, it's meant utilizing the NBA Draft, undrafted free agency, and the summer league as a means to becoming a more complete team—now and later.
It's all in line with what Redick said when he was first hired: That player development would be a top priority for the Lakers' coaching staff.
"Our goal from day one is about fostering a high-performing environment of player development and team alignment through relentless work, daily collaboration and innovation."
The early returns from the summer of 2026 are undeniably promising.
Lakers' summer league success is a promising sign for Redick's program
Summer league only counts for so much, but the Lakers' team has drawn rave reviews. 2026 first-round draft pick Cameron Carr has been at the heart of their success, as he's led the charge with explosive scoring performances and invigorating flashes of elite defensive potential.
Carr hasn't been alone in that regard, as the likes of Arthur Kaluma and Chris Mañon have made strong cases for two-way contracts, and 2025 second-round pick Adou Thiero has shown out on both ends of the floor.
Suddenly, the Lakers aren't being ridiculed for disregarding the value of long-term development. Instead, they're being praised for the progress they've made.
Really enjoyed the Lakers summer league team. Well coached group that played really hard. Not totally sure how many of those guys are long-term potential rotation players, but really liked how they played for one another, guarded well, and battled.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) July 17, 2026
It's a welcome change of pace for a team that's learning that it can swing for the fences without completing depleting its long-term resources.
Even the Walker Kessler sign-and-trade trade fits the shift in priorities
The obvious counterpoint is that the Lakers shipped out two unprotected first-round draft picks and a pair of pick swaps for Walker Kessler. The counterpoint to the counterpoint, however, is that they invested in a promising and fairly proven player who will enter and finish the 2026-27 season at 25 years of age.
Even if they did lose two picks outright, they did so to land a 25-year-old talent whom they plan on developing and would've loved to have drafted in the first place.
Furthermore, the Lakers' history of trading first-round draft picks has typically been short-sighted. They parted with first-rounders in separate trades for D'Angelo Russell, Dennis Schröder, and Russell Westbrook, yet failed to complete two full seasons with any of them on the roster after doing so.
With Kessler, Los Angeles not only valued upside alongside short-term value but invested in his growth with a four-year contract.
Furthermore, the Lakers' other acquisitions this summer have generally fit the prime-or-younger approach to cultivating depth. Jaden Hardy and Ziaire Williams are 24, Quentin Grimes is 26, and Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton are 27. In other words: Redick putting the wheels in motion on a shift in organizational mentality is finally rearing its head.
The games still need to be played, but the Lakers have made significant progress toward being able to keep up with the modern standards for team building.
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