The Lakers coach JJ Redick says that Lebron James is “in an excellent place mentally”
A question was asked to Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick on Thursday during the media day of Los Angeles Lakers, an investigation that said the quiet part aloud.
The journalist asked if Pelinka and Radick have had conversations with Lebron James, in the journalist’s words, “the transition we are seeing takes place from this type of passage from Lebron’s team to Luka [Dončić]’steam.”
Announcement
Pelinka, president of the Lakers basketball operations and general manager, turned to Radick, his recently extended coach, and Redadick intensified to answer the question that came about 16 minutes in the press conference.
“I spoke quite frequently with Lebron and I had two great meetings in person with him,” said Reddick.
“One, in the end he arrived at the Hampons, so he and I dined Harbor in Sag just around the free agency, and then I was able to spend some time with him here in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago. And I came out of that thought thinking that he was in an excellent place mentally, and I know he will give us his best absolute.”
Reddick and James hosted the “Mind the Game” podcast before Reddick was hired as head coach last June. In their first year together on the 40-year-old Lakers-Ricick Coaching and James playing at 40-Los Angeles, 50-32 went and seed n. 3 In the Western Conference before falling into five games at the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first round of the playoffs.
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At the beginning of February, the Lakers pulled out one of the most surprising stores in the history of sport, acquiring Dončić from Dallas Mavericks. So, in August, the Lakers signed the 26 -year -old Dončić with a maximum extension of three years and $ 165 million.
In the meantime, according to an ESPN report of 11 July, the Lakers did not offer James an extension or gave him a warning on the sale of the franchise from the Buss family to Mark Walter, while Dončić was inclined to the transaction.
Although James collected his option from $ 52.6 million in June, the future of four times MVP NBA with the Lakers has remained a hot topic in this low season.
Pelinka was asked at the beginning of Thursday’s press conference like James in a contractual year influenced the Lakers Team Building process.
“The first thing we want to do in terms of Lebron and his future is to give him only an absolute respect to choose his story with his family in terms of how many years he will continue to play,” said Pelinka.
“He has earned so well, and he is the best to talk about it in terms of how many he would like to play. But this summer we were very intentional in terms of pieces that we added with Luka and Lebron – once Lebron opted to – assure us that they had the necessary pieces to be in a truly competitive and strong team. And we integrated in this and for that.”
Announcement
A follow-up question was directed by Pelinka, asking the feelings of the GM on the possibility that James wanted to play for the Lakers beyond the 2025-26 campaign.
“We would like if Lebron’s story would be retired like Laker,” said Pelinka, doubling his comments on August 2nd.
“It would be a positive story.”