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Perhaps the biggest question mark when JJ Redick was announced as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers was how he would try to revamp an offense that started out hot but stagnated down the stretch of 2023-24. One of the key members of that offense was point guard D'Angelo Russell, who had arguably the best year of his career last season and will be a big part of what Redick is trying to do in Los Angeles.
Recently, Redick broke down his high hopes for Russell this season, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.
“JJ Redick says he has spoken to D'Angelo Russell probably more than any other Lakers player since he got the job and his message to the guard has been: ‘Let's put you in position to have a career year,'” reported McMenamin.
Russell had one of the hottest stretches of his career beginning in January of last season, ironically just around the time his name was being thrown around the trade rumor mill leading up to the deadline.
This hot shooting helped propel the Lakers to having one of the better offenses in the league last year, but Russell once again went ice cold in the playoffs vs the Denver Nuggets, providing another piece of evidence, among the many he already has, that he is unreliable in the biggest moments.
That fact is something that Redick will have to navigate as he looks to guide the Lakers this season.
What is the Lakers' ceiling this year?
Probably not extremely high.
The Lakers lost last season to the Nuggets, who lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were obliterated by the Dallas Mavericks, who were then steamrolled by the Boston Celtics.
Clearly, there are several tiers yet to attain for this Lakers squad.
Which makes it all the more frustrating that Los Angeles did virtually nothing this offseason outside of hiring Redick and drafting Dalton Knecht and Bronny James.
Still, that isn't shaking general manager Rob Pelinka's belief in this group, however unfounded it may be.
“Rob Pelinka, when asked about pursuing trades to turn the team into a contender, says ”we believe in this group' but added that it will take 30 games or so to properly evaluate what the team has this season,” reported McMenamin.
In the meantime, several teams around the Lakers in the Western Conference standings, including the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings, added all-star level talent this offseason, meaning another Play-In game appearance would appear to be the ceiling for this group as currently constructed.
