JJ Redick Identifies New Defensive Weapon for Lakers Ahead of Season

Redick is experimenting on defense ahead of the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.

Oct 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick during a time out against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After an offseason filled with drastic changes, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to hit the ground running once their regular season starts on Oct. 21 against the visiting Golden State Warriors.

One of the keys to the new-look Lakers being successful during the 2026-27 NBA season is the team being solid defensively. Los Angeles has already shown flashes of being a better defensive team in the first three preseason games.

Lakers Will ‘Use Zone’ Defense This Season

Interestingly enough, head coach JJ Redick experimented with some zone defense during the win against the Sacramento Kings earlier this week, which the team hadn’t practiced.

“We haven't practiced it yet,” Redick said of their zone defense. … “That's gonna be a weapon for us.

“We're gonna use zone. I like the idea of, particularly with Matisse [Thybulle] and Ziaire [Williams] out there, Adou [Thiero] out there, those guys at the front of that putting early pressure on the ball, back to the zone. I liked what I saw tonight. I thought, overall, you gotta be able to communicate in zone just like you do in man. I think their communication was pretty good.”

It sounds like Redick is ready to get a creative with his new-look squad, which could pay off if players remain bought in defensively.

So far, things are looking up on defense, especially when Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams are on the basketball floor. 

However, the team has yet to see how everything comes together on that end of the floor with center Walker Kessler. The 25-year-old has yet to play in the preseason, missing the first three games with a finger injury.

JJ Redick Won’t Commit to Playing Walker Kessler in Next Preseason Game

Although Redick has said that Kessler’s injury isn’t considered serious and that he will suit up for a game during the preseason, the third-year head coach will not commit to his center playing in the team’s next preseason game against the Warriors in Las Vegas on Tues. Oct. 13, via Lakers Nation.

“I would say we're not committed to that,” Redick said of Kessler playing on Tuesday. … “We may do some live Monday. Probably likely will be more of a teaching day and a film day, so we'll see. I can't commit to that now.”

If Kessler doesn’t play on Tuesday against the Warriors, the Lakers' big man’s final chance to play in the preseason will be on Fri. Oct. 16 against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.

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