Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said he has not locked in a starting lineup for the 2025-26 NBA season and plans to let training camp determine which five players open the year on the floor.
“It’s not that important to me. I haven’t spent a ton of time thinking about it,” Redick told reporters. “We certainly have a number of players—let’s call it seven or eight—that are starter-level players in the NBA.”
The coach acknowledged that Luka Doncic and LeBron James are guaranteed starters, with newly signed center Deandre Ayton also expected to begin games. Austin Reaves is widely viewed as the team’s third-best player, but Redick did not rule out using him as a sixth man. Off-season addition Marcus Smart, along with Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia, are among the options Redick may consider.
Redick pointed to last season, when Los Angeles used 24 different starting units, as evidence that flexibility matters more than a fixed lineup. “That lineup started seven or eight games at the beginning of the season and we started 24 lineups throughout the year,” he said. “So not gonna spend too much time banging my head against a wall on that before we have a practice.”
Training camp and the preseason schedule will serve as Redick’s testing ground for defensive pairings next to Doncic and offensive spacing around James. The decision on Reaves is especially pivotal; starting him alongside Doncic would require the 6-foot-5 guard to defend the opponent’s top backcourt scorer, a role some inside the organization believe might be better suited for Smart, Vanderbilt or LaRavia.
Hachimura’s role also remains in flux. The forward impressed as a starter last season but struggled at times coming off the bench in previous years. Redick indicated that overall team fit will outweigh individual preferences as final decisions are made.
Regardless of the eventual lineup, Doncic said he intends to take on a larger leadership role. The 26-year-old guard wants to be “more vocal” as the franchise seeks a deeper postseason run.
Source: Lakers Nation
