Recently, the Los Angeles Lakers saw their 2024-25 season come to an end with a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs. It was overall a good season for first year head coach JJ Redick, but he made some puzzling decisions in the series vs the Timberwolves, including playing his starters all 24 minutes of the second half of Game 4.

Now, it appears that the Lakers are hoping to get Redick some more help for his staff this offseason, as a recently unearthed job posting revealed that Los Angeles is hiring a new head strength and conditioning coach, via NBA on ESPN (per TeamWork Online on X, formerly Twitter).

The Lakers' strength and conditioning certainly didn't look great down the stretch of Game 4 vs the Timberwolves, as the starters–particularly Luka Doncic and LeBron James–looked gassed and unable to keep up with a younger Minnesota squad.

A big offseason for the Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick talks with forward LeBron James (23) in the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center.
© Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

In addition to making tweaks to the coaching staff, priority number one for the Lakers this offseason figures to be adding a viable center to insert into the starting lineup.

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The Lakers' lack of frontcourt depth was thoroughly exposed in the matchup vs the Timberwolves, as Jaxson Hayes rendered himself unplayable, and when Redick finally pulled the plug on that experiment, Rudy Gobert proceeded to look like prime Shaquille O'Neal in Game 5.

The Lakers thought they had their center of the future earlier this season in a trade for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, but that trade was rescinded after Williams was unable to pass his physical with the team.

Potential names that have been floated for the Lakers to pursue this offseason include Nic Claxton, Mitchell Robinson, and Myles Turner (although it's unlikely the Indiana Pacers will want to part with any members of their core after a second straight conference finals appearance).

In any case, the Lakers will have some big decisions to make over the next few months leading into the 2025-26 season, which will be Redick's second at the helm in Los Angeles.