LeBron James invited trouble with an X post ahead of the Lakers’ nearly four-hour flight to Milwaukee. No doubt you have already read about it by now. But just in case, the ‘King’ woke up and chose violence, in a manner of speaking! Perhaps not too happy with the schedule, especially given that all Los Angeles preseason games are on the road because of renovations at the Crypto.com arena, he wrote, “Can someone please explain to me why we’re getting on a [plane] and heading to Milwaukee for one preseason game!?!?”

Needless to say, many came forward with sarcastic, supportive, and some very creative replies. But could it be just the tiring travel that pushed Bron to the X tweet? Or could it be the two preseason losses? If it is the latter, then JJ Redick’s tweaked lineup might just provide him with a slight relief.

Take a look at what the Lakers beat reporter for Spectrum Sports Net tweeted about the Purple & Gold’s lineup. “Lakers will start Max Christie for Austin Reaves tonight, alongside Russell, Hachimura, LeBron and AD. Milwaukee will start Lillard, Trent Jr., Prince, Antetokounmpo and Lopez.”

Yup! The defensive-minded 6’5 Christie against the Bucks lineup could be a potential boost from a defensive standpoint. You might argue that the 21-year-old will get chewed up going against the bigger, fiercer dogs out there. However, the Michigan State alum has shown some solid instincts and footwork. Max Christie on either Damian Lillard or Gary Trent Jr. could be a real headache.

For one, Max’s length could bother both, and particularly on closeouts against Trent Jr.’s three-point shooting. Moreover, his size and strength to fight through screens could help defend Dame on the perimeter. While the Lakers might lose some offensive production starting Christie instead of Reaves, it would be beneficial for defensive versatility.

But does that mean Austin Reaves will be leading the second unit off the bench?

Why is Austin Reaves not playing alongside LeBron James tonight?

Unfortunately, AR will not be suiting up tonight. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “JJ Redick says Austin Reaves (ankle soreness) will not play tonight.” It might not be too big of a concern, considering in his first two games of the season, he looked just fine. That said, he did struggle against the Wolves, scoring 16 points on 2-of-9 shooting. And during the Suns’ matchup, he finished with 9 points, once again, going 2-of-10 from the field. However, he’s shown steady improvement. In fact, Reaves has improved his playmaking, limited turnovers, and, as Coach Redick noted, shown some serious commitment to bettering his defensive acumen.

Interestingly, JJ said this about his rotation last week at practice, “I hope you guys know this, like, I’m open-minded to everything.” Knowing the tactical brain that he has, through his past analyst stint and on the ‘Mind the Game’ pod, the Purple and Gold community should brace themselves for out-of-the-box changes. Even though Redick has clarified that he intends to have a 9-man rotation, Knecht’s rise to fame and Vanderbilt’s return to the hardwood will require JJ to keep a fairly open approach to team selections.

Dave McMenamin, though, also noted that Max Christie, among others, will be on a “minutes restriction.” Guess LeBron James’ frustration with the long flight might have some validity to it, after all. Thoughts?

Hungry for more basketball content? Do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.