Why JJ Redick has a lot of respect for LA’s training camp heroes

LOS ANGELES – Each season, NBA teams invite multiple players to training camp and the preseason, players who have absolutely no chance of making the final regular season roster. But what the general public may not see is the behind-the-scenes work these players do on a daily basis. For Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redickthose players have not only been crucial to training camp and the preseason, they have improved the entire team.

During a recent media availability session after Lakers practice, JJ Redick explained how much he respects players cut by the team over the weekendand where he hopes to end up in the near future.

“Everybody (helped). Gus (Augustas Marchioulionis) obviously couldn’t participate because of an injury. But the other three guys, Nate (Williams), RJ (Davis), Anton (Watson), were great,” Redick said. “And I thought there were times in practice where they just made the gym better.”

“Nate takes over full court, RJ puts pressure on the rim, touches the paint. All three are very consistent in getting better in the gym,” Redick continued. “I expressed that to them, and I hope we get all those guys with the South Bay.”

With the recent cuts, the Lakers’ roster heading into the 2025-26 season totals 14 standard contracts and three two-way contracts. The Lakers are among a growing number of teams opting to leave one roster spot open due to the salary cap.

The Lakers will open the season at home on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. On the injury front, LeBron James has been ruled out with a nerve injury, and while Redick mentioned in practice that Brony James and Adu Teiro are making progress, both have yet to be cleared for Tuesday’s game.

After the Lakers’ final preseason game against the Sacramento Kings last Friday, Redick mentioned how some of the bench players, such as contract players, will be as crucial this season as they were last season.

“They’re going to be important all year long, not just early in the season. We saw the value of our two-way matchup last year … (Christian) Colocco and (Trey) Jemison and obviously Goody (Jordan Goodwin) were big for us and helped us turn the season around, and provided a lot of positives,” Redick said.

With waivers expected to join the South Bay, it’s possible that some of them may return to the Lakers at some point. Goodwin was one of the team’s final cuts in the final training camp and beyond joining the South Bayhe at the end re-signed with the Lakers to a two-way contract.