Something’s different when Lakers’ haters praise the team’s 7–2 record, second seed in the West, Pelinka’s offseason additions, or Redick’s ability to get his players to buy in to his new challenging championship culture.
The Los Angeles Lakers are on a serious roll. They’ve won five straight games and have the second best record in the NBA despite LeBron missing all nine games, Luka missing four games, and Austin missing two games. Despite small sample size, the Lakers look like a legitimate championship contender right now without James for nine and Doncic and Reaves for six games. Get LeBron back, make a trade, and the Lakers could be favorites.
After losing to the Timberwolves in last year’s playoffs, Lakers’ rookie head coach Redick told every player on the roster that their offseason priority should be to come back to camp next summer in championship condition.
At the start of camp, JJ Redick expanded that directive. “We have three priorities this year and three priorities only,” Redick said. “Championship habits, championship communication, and championship shape.
The Lakers are currently reaping the benefits from the seeds they sowed last year when they hired their coach of the future, traded for their superstar of the future, and sold the team to their owner of the future.
Suddenly, everything is coming up Lakers. Their coach of the future is creating a championship culture, their superstar of the future is playing like an MVP, and their owner of the future was just approved by NBA.
The Lakers believe ‘playing hard’ is their special cheat code and ‘next-man-up’ their team identity. What’s different about this year’s Lakers is they finally have their new owner, coach, superstar, and rotation of the future.
1. Owner of the Future
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It’s not a coincidence that the Los Angeles Lakers got off to an phenomenal start to the season at the same time billionaire Mark Walter was officially approved by NBA governors as the new owner of the legendary franchise.
While the team building rules for the NBA differ from those of MLB, Mark’s vision and wealth should generate major upgrades for the Lakers’ front office, coaching, scouting, training, and development staff and facilities.
Jeanie Buss will continue as the Lakers’ NBA governor and Rob Pelinka as the team’s President of Basketball Operations but expect Mark Walter to expand personnel and add resources to every aspect of Lakers’ operations.
Walter’s management style is to hire the best professionals, provide them with the best staffs and resources, and then let them to do their jobs. He understands his role should be to establish the vision and set the standards.
Mark Walter is not a hands-on manager like Phoenix Suns’ Matt Ishbia, who acts as his own general manager, but he’s also not so hands-off that his GM could make major decisions without clearing it with new ownership.
It’s important to remember Mark Walter was already a Lakers minority owner for four years after buying Philip Anschutz 26% stake in Lakers in 2021, including the first right of refusal for Buss family’s majority shares.
Mark’s comfortable with Jeanie and Rob continuing in their current roles while he upgrades every aspect of the Lakers’ operations. While Buss and Pelinka will run the Lakers day-to-day, Mark Walter will have final say.
Mark Walter will be an active and engaged owner of the Lakers who will dramatically raise the bar for every area of the Lakers’ operation and react forcefully and rapidly if he sees that his higher standard are not being met.
2. Head Coach of the Future
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After receiving a surprise extension for his excellent first year job as Lakers head coach, JJ Redick has the team off to an astonishing start to this season playing championship caliber basketball without superstar LeBron James.
In a stunning demonstration of legitimate ‘next-man-up’ mentality, the Lakers under Redick managed to flip three games that were ‘scheduled injury losses’ into upset wins to transform a 4–5 record into a 7–2 record.
What JJ did was sell his players on being in championship shape, having championship communications on offense and defense, and turning the little things they have to do to win on the court into championship habits.
The championship culture JJ Redick has been building was the big reason why the Lakers were able to weather losing LeBron James for all nine games, Luka Doncic for four games, and Austin Reaves for two games.
Even though players often were forced to play out of position or to fill a role that was not their usual role, the Lakers’ star and role players persevered, stepped up big, and accomplished whatever the team needed to win games.
Redick’s done a sensational job adjusting his rotations for all of the injuries. The players have obviously bought 100% into his championship culture as almost every player on the roster has exceeded preseason expectations.
JJ is staggering Doncic and Reaves so that one is on the court for all 48 minutes, making the Lakers an unstoppable offensive juggernaut. Once Lebron James returns, he will become their off-ball jack-of-all-trades.
Redick and his staff have done a outstanding job creating an identity as a team that always plays hard, never quits, and totally embraces the ‘next-man-up’ mentality whenever a teammate goes down or gets injured.
3. Superstar of the Future
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Much as the Mavs trading him shocked and hurt, Luka Doncic has finally been able to put the bad feelings aside and realize that being traded to the Lakers was really the best thing that could have happened for his career.
From the moment last season ended, Luka committed himself to losing weight and getting back into championship shape and then showed off his new physique and court quickness by being the best player in EuroBasket.
Doncic’s better conditioning has turbocharged his game through the first nine games of the season. In the 5 games he’s played, Luka’s averaging a league-best 40.0 points plus 11.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game.
The lost weight and improved conditioning has made it much easier for Luka Doncic to get where he wants to on the court. More importantly, his game stamina is dramatically improved, especially in the fourth quarter.
There is no question that Luka has embarked on personal vendetta this season to win both the NBA championship and the league’s MVP award. He’s told Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka that his priority is winning now.
The other major benefit from Luka being in championship shape is his ability to play better defensively. Even though he’s only played five games, Doncic actually leads the team in steals and is second in blocked shots.
While the 7–2 Lakers have the second best record in the West, the 2–6 Mavericks have struggled with injuries and Anthony Davis coming into camp out of condition and now at 2–6 have the worst record in the West.
This should be Luka Doncic’s year to finally live up to the constant hype that’s followed him since he was a teenage megastar in Europe. Time for Luka to put the Lakers on his shoulders and show he’s learned how to win.
4. Rotation of the Future
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The Lakers now have their owner, head coach, and superstar of the future. All that remains is to add an elite starting small forward and quality backup center so the Lakers will then have a legit championship 10-man rotation.
Before the start of the season, the Lakers were projected as a play-in team that would need a blockbuster move to dramatically upgrade their roster before the trade deadline to become a legitimate championship contender.
After a disappointing lackluster opening night loss to the Warriors, the Lakers proceeded to win seven of their next eight games despite LeBron missing eight, Luka missing four, and Austin Reaves missing two games.
Besides Luka and Austin clearly showing they could be a championship backcourt, the Lakers ‘next-man-up’ mentality proudly reared its head as the purple and gold’s other starters and role players elevated their play.
Besides Doncic’s 40.0/11.0/9.2 and Reaves 31.1/5.1/9.3, the Lakers’ other starting players also made major contributions. Ayton posted 17.5/8.4/1.1, Hachimura 16.7/3.9/1.6, LaRavia 12.1/5.2/2.8, and Smart 10.3/3.4/2.4.
To win the NBA championship, the Lakers still must trade for an elite 3&D starting small forward like Andrew Wiggins or Dillon Brooks and a shot-blocking or floor-spacing backup center like Isaiah Stewart or Kelly Olynyk.
Right now, the Lakers’ logical trading chips are Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, and Dalton Knecht, who combined earn around $26.5 million per year.
Lakers also possess one tradable first round pick and second round pick.
The Lakers currently have the #7 ranked offensive rating, the #19 ranked defensive rating, and the #12 ranked net rating. To be a team worthy of a championship, they will need more size, shot blocking, and rebounding.
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