Lakers forced to alter practice due to ‘great effort and physicality’

Lakers coach JJ Redick made the mandate to the team’s crop of wings clear: It’s on them to establish the team’s defensive physicality.

They’re the ones who can set the tone in front of premier rim protector Walker Kessler.

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After Tuesday’s practice, the second of the team’s training camp sessions, consider the message heard and fulfilled, to the point where Redick and his coaching staff had to cut a couple of drills and modify the latter third of practice because “these guys were just giving great effort and physicality”.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick called an audible for the team’s practice on Wednesday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It was wonderful,” Redick said.

Redick reiterated it’s been the wings who’ve stood out the most with establishing physicality.

“We talked about a line of confrontation,” the coach said. “Picking the ball up earlier, being disruptive earlier, eating at the shot clock earlier. Our physicality off the ball has been really good. It’s the entire group of wings. Anybody that’s been out there, it’s been really good.”

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The stakes for the wings during training camp are clear.

Two of the Lakers’ starting spots alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler are up for grabs.

Ziaire Williams has been among the Lakers who’ve received prays for their defense in training camp. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

As Jake LaRavia put it, the competition for not just those starting spots, but also playing time on the wings in general next to the Lakers star guards is going to come down to “who’s the best 3-and-D player for us.”

And with multiple Lakers saying defense has been the main priority early in camp, players know that will determine how much court time they’re able to see.

“It’s been high intensity from the start,” Quentin Grimes said. “We’re trying to set the tone defensively for who we want to be as a team, picking up full court, everybody, all five guys trying to switch one through five. So, just having that intensity the whole practice, JJ could see it, we could all feel it, the coaches could feel it.”

Quentin Grimes is among the players setting the tone for…

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Publish date : 2026-09-30 23:39:00

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