The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for life without LeBron James, but head coach JJ Redick believes the biggest question surrounding his revamped roster has nothing to do with talent.
Instead, Redick wants to see how his players respond when things inevitably go wrong.
“That’s different for every team,” Redick said Tuesday, according to ESPN. “That’s different, maybe, in how we deal with adversity in November versus how we deal with adversity in March. Hopefully, there’s growth throughout the season so we can deal with adversity in the right way, and that will ultimately prepare us for a deep playoff run.”
The Lakers underwent a massive offseason overhaul following James’ departure to Philadelphia, bringing in Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney and several other additions.
With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves now leading the franchise, expectations remain high despite the significant roster turnover.
Redick also understands that playing in Los Angeles comes with a level of scrutiny that can make every defeat feel like a crisis.
“It could be [Wednesday] night, you’re going to come to me and tell me that the world is ending and the sky is falling,” Redick said. “We’ve got to work through that together. [The scrutiny] depends on the team and depends on the market. With the Lakers, how many times did we lose last year? Twenty-nine times? [So, the sky was falling] 29 times.”
The uncertainty surrounding Los Angeles hasn’t gone unnoticed around the league, with NBA general managers identifying the Lakers as one of the toughest teams to predict this season.
However, Reaves believes the team’s character will help it navigate difficult stretches.
“We’re good enough to win a lot of games, but I don’t think we’re as good as we can be,” Reaves said. “With the [repetitions] and in-game competition and going through adversity, that will only build us to be better in the long haul.”
READ MORE: Kyrie Irving Opens Up About NBA Retirement as Priorities Shift