During the ongoing off-season, the Los Angeles Lakers have seen significant changes. Along with drafting two players (Dalton Knect and Bronny James), the franchise also took in a new head coach with no prior experience in the field. However, one constant will be the presence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis as lead scorers. Given their importance, and the fact that they are 39 and 31 years old respectively, LeBron and AD are susceptible to injuries and may require careful load management. However, a longtime NBA enthusiast argued that this is a luxury that can’t be granted so easily.

Former reporters from The Athletic, Andy Kamenetzky and Brian Kamenetzky, released a new episode of their Locked on Lakers podcast earlier today. Brian indicated that both LeBron and AD need to be moderated early on for signs of injuries and need to be put under load management. In their absence, the host believed that players like Austin Reaves could pick up the slack. This idea was quickly shut down by Andy.

Andy Kamenetzky emphasized his stance on avoiding load management, saying, “If you’re talking about sitting games altogether, I would prefer to avoid it, if possible.” He pointed out that despite new awards qualifications requiring 66 games, LeBron and AD don’t have the luxury of skipping games: “I don’t think it’s something LeBron and AD engage in much anyway, but they don’t have the luxury to do it.” Kamenetzky further explained, “You don’t just give Austin the keys. He has to earn them, because if he’s not ready, it’s like giving a teenager a car—they crash it.”

In April 2024, after the Lakers’ elimination from the tournament, former NBA star Magic Johnson went viral for claiming the team lost due to excessive “load management.” However, his statement was quickly challenged, as LeBron played in 71 games—his highest since joining the Lakers—while Anthony Davis appeared in 76 matchups. The efficient duo kept on playing because placing Austin Reaves as the man would not have solved things.

Despite averaging 32.1 minutes during the regular season, the then 25-year-old Austin Reaves only posted 15.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. In Game 2 of the Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, he played 33 minutes but contributed just 9 points. His performance throughout the tournament indicated that, while he shows promise, he isn’t ready to take on a scoring load that would allow LeBron James and Anthony Davis to rest.

While this issue was anticipated early on, it didn’t stop then-head coach Darvin Ham from experimenting. In September 2023, the NBA introduced a new rule limiting how often star players could be benched for load management. However, LeBron James was exempt due to being over 35 and having played over 34,000 regular-season minutes. Taking advantage of this, Ham limited James to just 29 minutes during the season opener against the Denver Nuggets. The 10-minute reduction in playtime cost the Lakers, as they lost the game 107-119.

While he may not be the candidate to look for in terms of load managing LeBron and AD, Austin Reaves is still a core member of the Lakers. Alongside Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, and Jalen-Hood Schifino, he is a part of the young group of players around whom the Lakers will be built up in the next few years. Therefore, the new head coach seems to have made it his mission to built the player up.

JJ Redick wants Austin Reaves to play better in the offensive system

Despite having no prior coaching experience, JJ Redick brings over 19 years of professional playing experience and a widely recognized high basketball IQ to support his case. If having observed Austin Reaves has taught him anything, it is that the player is good, but could be better.

In an interview with NBA reporter Mike Trudell, the newly appointed Redick expressed his enthusiasm for coaching Reaves, noting his admiration for Reaves’ “competitive spirit” and “real mental toughness” from a distance. However, Redick also added that “I think a big thing, partially in terms of how I want him to play in our offensive system, he’s gotta get in better condition, he’s gotta be able to move more, and based on our early conversations, he’s bought into that.”

Redick revealed that Reaves admitted feeling fatigued toward the end of the 2023-24 season. Consequently, Redick plans to focus on conditioning. He believes that increasing Reaves’ movement without the ball will lead to more open looks from beyond the arc and better matchups in isolation situations.

With LeBron James probably approaching his final years in the NBA, Reaves will have to step up in order to keep the Lakers a championship-contender. The push from JJ Redick may be the thing that helps him do so.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.