JJ Redick believes the Los Angeles Lakers made real progress this season, but after being swept by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, the head coach admitted the roster still isn’t at a championship level.
Despite injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for most of the Lakers’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles still managed to win 53 games and advance to the Western Conference semifinals in Redick’s second season leading the franchise.
But the series against Oklahoma City exposed the gap between the Lakers and the NBA’s elite.
“That’s what we gotta figure out this offseason,” Redick said after the Lakers’ Game Four loss. “I will say for the things that we set out to do, build our championship habits and build our championship communication and championship shape, I thought we were darn close to doing that.
“And it doesn’t mean you’re gonna win a championship, but I take a lot of, I think I would say I take a lot of pride in our players, and what they all individually went through, what we collectively went through and what we turned out to be. You don’t know on day one of training camp what you’re gonna turn out to be, and I’m just proud of who we are.”
While Redick praised the culture and growth within the group, he made it clear the Lakers cannot stand still if they want to compete for another title.
“Yeah, I believe in continuity,” Redick said. “I do think that if you’re trying to win a championship, and this organization is. I’m trying to win a championship. I know [Rob Pelinka] is trying to win a championship, I know Jeanie [Buss] is, I know Mark [Walter] is. We’re trying to win a championship. So you have to be realistic and assess where you’re at, and we’re not good enough right now. There probably will be some continuity; there probably won’t be. But that’s what the next two months are for.”
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