Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick remains undecided on the team’s starting lineup with LeBron James sidelined due to nerve irritation. After Saturday’s practice, Redick said it is “unclear who’s going to be what starting lineup until he’s back.”
Redick confirmed that LeBron has been on the court every day, but his absence from full practices has left the team without a fixed rotation. “We knew this going into camp, so it hasn’t changed how we want to practice or our preseason philosophies,” Redick said.
The Lakers have considered running separate lineups with and without James. “Something certainly has crossed my mind in the last couple days,” Redick said about potential non-LeBron lineups. He emphasized that players like Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic provide stability when the star forward is out.
Preseason action has given the coaching staff a chance to experiment with rotations. Redick described a recent intra-squad scrimmage, which went into overtime and ended tied, as a way to observe “small interactions” and communication among players. These exchanges, he said, are key to building a championship-caliber team.
Redick highlighted that the team’s development this week has been about installing offensive and defensive schemes and improving conditioning. “We’ve gotten better at what we want to do,” he said, noting improvements in transition defense and overall communication.
The Lakers are 0–2 in the preseason after losses to Phoenix and Golden State. Despite the slow start, Redick stressed that practice and small-game adjustments are crucial. He compared repeated preseason matchups to a short playoff series, where progress can be measured and rotations fine-tuned.
With Doncic participating fully in practice and other players like Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart available, Redick said the team is still evaluating how to maximize efficiency. He added that establishing versatile offensive sets with Reaves and Doncic has been a focus while LeBron remains out.
As the Lakers continue their preseason schedule, including upcoming games against Golden State, Phoenix, Dallas, and Sacramento, Redick will continue to monitor lineups and rotations. His priority is keeping players healthy while preparing for the regular season.
