Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is reinforcing the importance of patience as the team navigates its early-season journey, acknowledging that building a championship-caliber team is a complex process that cannot be rushed.
Following a 25-point collapse in a recent loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers returned home with a renewed perspective on their development. Redick stated that becoming a great team is not achieved in a few games but rather over the course of an 82-game season, with the ultimate goal of competing for a championship in the spring.
"You don’t become a great team in six games," Redick said. "We want to become a great team after 82 games and have a chance to go compete for a championship in April, May and June. It’s a process to get there."
The Lakers experienced a significant setback in their loss to the Warriors, where they squandered a 25-point lead. The team's offense faltered when the Warriors applied defensive pressure, particularly against guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Despite creating offensive advantages, the Lakers struggled to convert these opportunities into scores, highlighting an ongoing challenge for the team's role players in adapting to four-on-three situations.
"We just need to do better with that," Doncic remarked. "You create [an] advantage, you put two on the ball. And you got to go score. It’s a four on three, so we gotta be better at that."
Redick and his staff recognize that mastering these offensive nuances, including spacing principles and quick decision-making, takes time, especially with many new faces on the roster. Player Walker Kessler noted that the team is still developing chemistry and communication during difficult moments.
"Obviously, it’s a new team, so a lot of guys have different roles," Kessler said. "It’s different because guys aren’t necessarily comfortable yet, like talking to each other during tough times or calling each other out or taking coaching or taking a response. That just builds with time."
As the Lakers move into the third week of the season, Redick remains committed to the process, emphasizing that while patience is crucial, consistent effort and learning are equally important. "We know we are going to be patient," Redick stated. "There’s also, along with patience, doing what you’re supposed to do. As we play more games together, we do more walk-throughs together, we do more film together, we do more practices together, that we’ll all get better."