JJ Redick wants Lakers to keep Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron
Lakers coach JJ Redick told the media on Tuesday that he wants to keep the team's star trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James intact.
On Tuesday, one day after they were swept out of the Western Conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder , the Los Angeles Lakers held an end-of-season press conference. Everyone had plenty of questions on their minds, beginning with questions that pertain to what the team's roster will look like next season. LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes will be free agents at the end of June.
Austin Reaves is almost certainly going to opt out of his contract and become a free agent, and guard Marcus Smart and center Deandre Ayton can do the same. Therefore, the group the Lakers have in training camp in October could look substantially different from the group that ended this season. At Tuesday's press conference, coach JJ Redick said that he wants the team's "big three" of Doncic, Reaves and James to remain intact for next season.
“Of course we want that core to be back together,” Redick said. “I think Rob [Pelinka] used the word humility. Each guy, I think, had to sacrifice at different points in the season and at different times.
I also think for all three of those guys, and it’s crazy to say it about LeBron, but all three of those guys showed a lot of growth this year. “I think a lot has been made about Luka’s fitness level and his dedication to that. He was great throughout the season, still in fantastic shape six weeks after an injury.