JJ Redick was asked about a starter on the LA Lakers after the team suffered a 104-116 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With Luka Doncic not being able to play at his best due to a stomach bug, it was LeBron James who stepped up for the team with 38 points on the night.
James’ performance earned him praise even from his opponent Anthony Edwards, who lauded the four-time NBA champion for his effort.
Aside from Luka Doncic and LeBron James no other player on the Lakers was able to breach the double-digit mark, which is not a great recipe for success.
All the starters played over 37 minutes, except for Jaxson Hayes, and JJ Redick explained the reason behind that in his post game press conference.
Hayes has not crossed the ten minute mark for minutes played in the series even once.
Although Redick did not directly say it, but Hayes’ spot as a starter could be in trouble after the foirst three games.
Speaking about the defense at the rim, Redick said: “The fact is we don’t have rim protection. You give up blow-bys, we’re gonna give up something, we’re gonna give up a three or a shot from him [Edwards] at the rim.
The Athletic even asked Redick if he was going to drop Hayes from the starting lineup, but the first-year coach had not definitive answer.
“We’ll look at everything, but we still believe in Jaxson,” added Redick.
Hayes became a starter for the Lakers after a few impressive performances during the regular season.
The arrival of Doncic mainly helped Hayes as he was able to do a lot alongside the Slovenian offensively.
However, his effort on the defensive end has always been a cause of concern for the Lakers and it has been exposed more than ever in this series against the Timberwolves.
Edwards had a poster dunk on Hayes and the Lakers player has struggled to hold his own in the paint during the three games.
Even if he is dropped, the Lakers do not have a good option in the five position as it is unlikely that Alex Len gets a start.
While it is a major cause of concern for the team, Redick has stated the Lakers have fought against this problem all year and can do better by helping out teammates defensively.
It seems difficult for Redick to make the call to take Hayes out of the lineup as Timberwolves are a side with length and if they do it, the Purple and Gold could get over powered.
