Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has his work cut out for him heading into the 2025-26 season. With significant roster changes over the summer, the training camp has become an increasingly important period for the players to familiarize themselves with the system, build chemistry, and work their way back into game shape.
The Lakers’ offseason was marked by change and upgrades. Given the franchise’s title aspirations, the additions of players such as Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, and Jake LaRavia in free agency helped Los Angeles effectively boost its roster strength.
Amidst the roster changes, the front office displayed immense faith in the head coach, as JJ Redick received a contract extension with the team. Hence, ensuring that the new additions assimilate into the rotation becomes a priority for him.
In light of this, after two days of practice, JJ Redick provided some key updates on the state of the squad and what could be expected from the players moving forward.
JJ Redick Provides Key Player Updates
The second day of practice brought some updates, primarily involving LeBron James and Gabe Vincent. Both players had mild injuries heading into training camp. Vincent was reportedly suffering from a knee injury, while James was out with a glute injury.
Vincent was left out of the first day of practice due to a knee injury. However, the veteran guard seems to have shown signs of improvement, as he was reportedly a full participant for the second day. Meanwhile, the situation with James continues to be the same, although the superstar was apparently doing individual work.
JJ Redick mentioned that James was suffering from nerve irritation in his glute on the first day of camp. Reports on the matter indicated that the 40-year-old could be sidelined for an extended period, potentially even sitting out the preseason opener to opt for a longer “ramp up” to the regular season.
Given the Lakers’ emphasis on contending for the championship, having James in top form will be a priority at this stage. In this regard, allowing him to work his way into game shape at his own pace could be the best course of action.
Injury Reports
The Lakers already had injured players on their roster heading into training camp. Adou Thiero, who had been sidelined with a pre-existing knee injury, was recently joined by Marcus Smart, who was held out of practice on the first day of camp.
However, the Lakers will see another addition to their list as Maxi Kleber supposedly sustained a quad injury during practice. While the severity isn’t considered extreme, Redick indicated that getting an MRI would provide a better understanding of the situation.
Kleber missed a substantial portion of the 2024-25 season due to injury. Considering that he only became available for Los Angeles during the postseason, the Lakers will hope to have the big man in better health to fill out their overall frontcourt rotation.
Positive News For Jarred Vanderbilt
Aside from the latest injuries, JJ Redick also provided some positive news regarding the state of the roster, primarily concerning Jarred Vanderbilt. The Lakers forward was reportedly showing better movement during practice, with some even claiming that he was moving like the pre-injury version of himself.
While having healthy players on the roster is undoubtedly a necessity in making a title push, having Vanderbilt in proper game condition could really move the needle for the Purple and Gold. The forward is one of the Lakers’ best point-of-attack defenders. With his wingspan, agility, size, and instincts, Vanderbilt is capable of guarding multiple positions, making him an extremely valuable asset when available.
Given that he only appeared in 36 games during the 2024-25 season, Los Angeles will certainly hope to see him available as a part of the rotation for more games during the new campaign.
The Lakers Set Their Sights On The Title
The Lakers’ goal for the upcoming season is fairly clear: win the championship. Although the team has made some solid additions to their roster this summer, some argue whether they have enough to contend for the title in a loaded Western Conference.
With a solid blend of talent and experience, Los Angeles could realistically stun some of the top teams in the league. In this regard, the onus falls upon JJ Redick and the Lakers’ superstar duo to prove a lot of naysayers wrong.
The Lakers will kick off this process with their preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 3rd at 10 p.m. ET at Acrisure Arena, Palm Desert, CA.
