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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — JJ Redick mentioned he’ll play his stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, sooner or later within the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first preseason video games this weekend somewhat than relaxation them after their gold medal summer time enjoying for Workforce USA within the Olympics.
Nonetheless, Redick didn’t give specifics about simply how a lot James and Davis will play when the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday at Acrisure Area in Palm Springs, California.
“Nonetheless speaking by it,” Redick mentioned Thursday after L.A. wrapped up its third day of coaching camp. “They will play this weekend. However we’re nonetheless speaking by what minutes and rotations appear like for everyone.”
Final preseason, James sat L.A.’s first recreation and Davis sat within the third, with the pair each logging fewer than 20 minutes in recreation No. 2.
James and Davis have each beamed about how nice they really feel in camp to date, crediting their worldwide expertise and enjoying within the Paris Olympics with conserving them in tip-top form heading into the season.
James being cleared to play will permit for historical past to be made with the primary father-and-son duo to share the court docket in an NBA recreation if Redick chooses to play 19-year-old rookie Bronny James as properly.
Whereas Bronny James figures to spend time with the South Bay Lakers within the G League this season and is an extended shot to crack Redick’s nine-man rotation, the brand new coach mentioned he plans to experiment with a number of completely different lineups throughout L.A.’s six-game exhibition slate.
Friday towards Minnesota will mark the primary recreation of the 40-year-old Redick’s teaching profession.
Redick has already obtained rave critiques from a few of his gamers by the primary few practices for his preparation and environment friendly time utilization.
“In the present day was a ‘twister,’ that is what [Redick] mentioned,” Lakers ahead Rui Hachimura relayed. “He was simply saying that as a result of we solely had a one-hour observe so we have been simply going to go exhausting. … We simply needed it excessive depth at the moment, so that is what we did and we had a very good observe.”
Lakers level guard D’Angelo Russell, who struggled to attach with former Lakers coach Darvin Ham at instances the previous two seasons, praised Redick’s basketball acumen, as properly.
“I am not throwing pictures at anyone … however I’ve by no means actually had the chance to construct a relationship with a coach over an extended time period,” Russell mentioned. “For me to see how JJ is making an attempt to convey the playcalls and simply stage of IQ into every observe and every movie session, to see how he is prioritizing that. I’ve at all times been a man that wishes to prioritize excessive IQ, [high-level] verbiage, [high-level] movie classes … like, let’s rise to that. And he is clearly doing that. It is one thing to look ahead to.”
Russell mentioned he was {golfing} this week and thought again to one of many performs that Redick applied already in camp, and he felt compelled to achieve out to his coach in between holes to share his enthusiasm.
“I used to be on the golf course and I used to be fascinated about it and I despatched JJ just a little voice observe,” Russell mentioned. “Thanking him for placing that [play] out. I would by no means seen it. I am not making an attempt to hype it up however I thanked him for displaying me that. … I noticed him entering into his bag proper there and it is thrilling for gamers to note stuff like that.”
