The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a very impressive 10-4 start this season despite LeBron James having yet to suit up as he recovers from sciatica. But with James participating in his first full practice with the team on Monday, head coach JJ Redick will soon have his full roster available to him for the first time this season.
“Yeah, we did a lot of live basketball, so he was able to participate in everything,” Redick said of James following Monday’s practice.
However, adding LeBron into the mix with what the Lakers have established so far is not just as cut and dry as some may think.
Figuring out the best way to utilize the 40-year-old, especially with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves thriving as primary playmakers, will take some work and Redick understands that.
“I think when you add somebody who, when healthy, is going to play 35-ish minutes, that has an effect on the rotation, that has effect on guys’ rhythm like that’s just a natural thing that I think happens for any basketball team,” Redick said. “There’s some continuity from last year with AR and him and Luka that I think we can build on, but truthfully, you can’t anticipate whether it’s going to be seamless or whether it’s going to be [indiscernible]. There are some little formula of things you got to add and if you put too much cinnamon in there, cookie’s not that good. So you gotta tinker with it and we will.”
James has always been the primary creator with his teams, but he did an excellent job adjusting to a new role when the Lakers acquired Doncic last season and they should be able to build off of that. Additionally, Redick noted that they haven’t really added a ton of new sets or actions that LeBron isn’t familiar with so he should be fine in terms of that as well.
“There’s — in terms of an extra X’s and O’s, there’s not a whole lot that we’ve done differently,” Redick added. “We’ve added a couple wrinkles to things. There’s one different set, you know, we talked through it today we introed it before the first Minnesota game. So, I think he’s comfortable. There was nothing today that we had to stop and be like, hey, LeBron, remember we do this. Nah, he’s pretty dialed. He’s been a participant in terms of his voice in film and his voice on the court in practice. So he’s been engaged.”
And ultimately, Redick believes James’ ability to adpat to any situation will serve him and the Lakers well once he suits up.
“I would describe him as very adaptable,” Redick said. “Not just in my time, but he’s adapted throughout his career to the system, his teammates, what the game requires. The league has evolved. He’s evolved. That’s why he’s still in Year 23 and coming off of All-NBA season in Year 22, I think he’s always been able to adapt.
“And again, it’s not like, you know, the playing with Luka, playing with this version of AR, it’s not like he hasn’t done that already. He did it for two and a half, three months last season. So I don’t expect it to be perfect, but I also don’t expect it to be like, Oh, these guys have never seen each other and met each other and don’t know each other’s name. They know what each of them bring. And it’ll be fairly positive from the get go.”
It may take a little time for everything to settle in, but there is little doubt the Lakers adding James to what Doncic and Reaves have already established this season, will be an overall positive.
LeBron James still TBD for Lakers’ game vs. Jazz on Tuesday
The fact that LeBron James is on the court practicing in full with the Lakers is a great sign, but he also made it clear that it isn’t a guarantee he will make his season debut on Tuesday when the Lakers host the Utah Jazz.
It will depend on how James feels when he wakes up in the morning, but he said he felt good after Monday’s practice so him suiting up seems to be a real possibility.
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