The Los Angeles Lakers are set to begin their preseason with two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns. Head coach JJ Redick addressed the uncertainty surrounding the playing time of LeBron James and Anthony Davis in these matchups.
“We’re still talking through it,” Redick stated when asked about the minutes and rotations for the Lakers’ star duo. He confirmed that both players are expected to see action this weekend but left open the question of how much they will play.
Redick was also questioned about whether James and Davis would play in both games or just one of the contests. “We’re trying to figure that out,” he said. Redick mentioned that the coaching staff has a general idea of the preseason plan but emphasized that decisions are made in real time based on how the players feel.
The head coach shared his perspective on managing the workload of veteran players, drawing from his own experience as a former NBA player. He noted that practices had been kept concise to maximize efficiency and minimize downtime, a strategy aimed at keeping the players fresh.
Redick detailed the structure of their practices so far, describing them as shorter and more focused. “It was two hours and five minutes with two water breaks. Today was 60 minutes with no water breaks,” Redick explained. He emphasized the importance of seeing how the players feel before finalizing decisions on their playing time.
The Lakers’ preseason schedule is packed, with six games in total. The team will face Minnesota on October 4 at Acrisure Arena and Phoenix on October 6 at the same venue. Following that, the Lakers will head to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on October 10 at Fiserv Forum.
The latter half of their preseason schedule includes a game against the Golden State Warriors on October 15 at T-Mobile Arena, followed by two road games against Phoenix and Golden State on October 17 and 18, respectively.
For Redick, the key to navigating the preseason lies in balancing preparation with player health. He stressed the importance of adapting to real-time circumstances. “We got to see how they feel… and when it’s appropriate, we’ll let you guys know,” Redick concluded.