JJ Redick, the new head coach for the Lakers, has a vision for a nine-man rotation in the 2024-25 season, but this might be too much to ask in todayโs NBA where teams often use 10 or 11 players regularly.
Challenges with the Lakers’ Lineup
LeBron James is getting older and will need less time on the court to stay ready for playoffs. With Jared Vanderbilt and Christian Wood out of action, rookies like Dalton Knecht and Bronny James could step up and join the starting lineup.
Dalton Knecht’s Performance
Knecht has been impressive in preseason games, playing more minutes than most bench players except Max Christie. Heโs shown he can score from anywhere on the court, whether it’s hitting three-pointers or driving to the basket. Despite some shooting struggles against the Suns, he’s averaging 11.5 points per game this preseason.
On defense, Knecht sometimes finds it tough against stronger players driving into him. But he’s learning Redick’s defensive strategies well and can switch onto shooters easily.
The Lakers donโt usually depend on rookies much, but at 23 years old, Knecht isnโt your typical newcomer. Some think he could be one of their best shooters already. We believe fans are excited about his potential role this season!
Bronny James’ Journey
Bronny Jamesโ preseason has been different from Knecht’s. His defense is strong; he reads plays well and blocks shots despite being only 6-foot-2 tall. However, his offense needs workโhe struggled during Summer League games and continues to find it hard against tougher opponents like those from Timberwolves and Suns.
His ball-handling isn’t quite there yet eitherโit makes creating opportunities difficultโand his shooting percentages are low too; even though his form looks good when catching-and-shooting threesโthey just arenโt going in enough times right now!
It seems like Bronny may have one of weakest offensive games among current NBA players compared with other defensive specialists who still manage scoring better than him so far…
Redick faces a tricky situation: keeping LeBron happy while balancing playtime between Bronny versus more experienced guys such as Gabe Vincent or Cam Reddish without seeming biased towards anyone unfairlyโฆ
