JJ Redick did not need a full practice installation to see a use for one of the Los Angeles Lakers’ defensive options.
After trying a zone against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, the Lakers coach said he intends to keep it available. The experiment gave him a look at how his perimeter defenders could work around Sandro Mamukelashvili at center, with more combinations still to evaluate when the roster is healthier.
The Lakers won 114-110, with Sacramento committing 25 turnovers to Los Angeles’ 24. The result supplied encouragement, but Redick’s explanation was more specific than a general endorsement of the defense.
“We haven’t practiced it yet,” Redick said.
Redick explained that the team had planned to test the coverage during the game and discussed it in a huddle. After seeing the group execute it, he made clear that the idea would remain part of his plans.
“That’s going to be a weapon for us. We’re going to use zone,” Redick said.
"I like where we're at. Would love to get some news on some people and see what we look like at full strength in one of these games."
JJ Redick discusses what he likes from the team with 2 games left of the preseason. pic.twitter.com/FnkYFPX3HQ
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 9, 2026
Why Redick sees a fit for the Lakers’ perimeter defenders
The appeal begins with the players who can pressure the ball before an opponent gets comfortably into its offense. Redick singled out Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams while discussing the zone.
Redick also named Adou Thiero. He described using those players to apply pressure before falling back into the coverage and credited the group’s communication.
That distinction matters. Playing zone does not have to mean waiting near the basket for an opponent to act.
Pressure can make the first pass more difficult or delay the start of a possession, provided the defenders behind the ball remain organized.
For this group, the question is whether that pressure can survive the next pass. If an opponent moves the ball away from Thybulle, someone else must pick up the action without leaving a clean route through the middle.
A matchup zone also requires decisions as players cut and exchange positions. Defenders have to recognize when to follow an offensive player and when to pass that responsibility to a teammate.
An aggressive first effort can lose its value if the next exchange is late. Redick’s interest in communication therefore goes beyond enthusiasm for a few disruptive plays.
It points to what the Lakers would need to repeat against an opponent prepared to attack the coverage.
Sandro Mamukelashvili adds an offensive reason to explore the lineup
Mamukelashvili’s involvement makes the experiment relevant on both ends. A workable defensive arrangement could give Redick another way to keep his passing and shooting on the floor.
His production through three quarters was 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, with four assists and three rebounds. He finished the quarter with consecutive 3-pointers.
Those contributions explain why the defensive fit is worth investigating. A center who can move outside and make plays with the ball presents different offensive possibilities from one whose opportunities are concentrated around the rim.
The corresponding defensive responsibilities are still developing. Mamukelashvili described learning different assignments at power forward and center, with assistant coach Lindsey Harding helping him work through those duties.
“It’s a learning curve for me, for sure,” Mamukelashvili said.
Reaves also emphasized the value of Mamukelashvili playing with confidence, while Mamukelashvili identified physicality and rebounding as areas he wanted to improve.
That gives the Lakers a practical evaluation: Can they retain the offensive benefits of these combinations while getting dependable positioning, communication and rebounding at the other end?
A zone is one possible answer to test, rather than proof that the balance has already been found.
The rebounding problem still has to be addressed
The need to finish possessions was apparent early Thursday. Sacramento had seven offensive rebounds in the first quarter, even as the Kings struggled to convert their initial shots.
That first-quarter observation is not a measurement of the zone’s effectiveness. It is evidence of a broader problem the Lakers have to solve regardless of coverage.
In a zone, the defender nearest an opponent when the shot goes up may not have been responsible for that player at the beginning of the possession. Finding a body and securing the rebound becomes a shared responsibility.
Pressure that produces a difficult attempt helps only if the defense can complete the stop. Otherwise, the opponent gets another opportunity, potentially against a group that has lost its original positioning.
As Lakers Daily outlined before the preseason opener, containing the first attack and finishing the possession are connected tasks. Thursday’s experiment adds another coverage to evaluate against those same standards.
It also adds to the questions around Thybulle’s potential role in important minutes. Disrupting the ball is valuable, but the full lineup still has to rebound and function offensively.
A healthier roster will give Redick a clearer test
Walker Kessler’s absence limits what the Lakers can learn about their eventual combinations. Redick said before Thursday’s game that he expected Kessler to play during the preseason, while Kessler declined to provide a definite return date during the broadcast.
Redick also expressed hope of seeing the team at full strength before the regular season. He acknowledged that lineup experimentation and uneven familiarity with the offense were contributing to problems, while stressing that ball security needed improvement across the roster.
Those issues matter to the defense, too. A turnover can force a team to defend in transition before it has any opportunity to establish its preferred coverage.
For now, Redick has identified an option he wants to develop. The next useful evidence will come from whether the Lakers can communicate through repeated possessions, respond when opponents find an opening and secure the rebound after making the initial stop.
