The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to improve their roster for next season. The only two additions they have made this offseason are rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. Against all odds, players like D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Christian Wood are still on the team, much to the chagrin of the fanbase.
At the same time, the Lakers are adding to JJ Redick’s coaching staff. The first-time head coach is trying to make up for his lack of experience with a deep and talented staff. The latest hiring comes on the player development side. Ty Abbott, who spent the past four years with the Chicago Bulls as a player development coach, will be the new lead player development coach in Los Angeles.
Abbott has a mixed bag of a track record with the Bulls. Over the last couple of years, he has helped turn the likes of Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu into quality NBA players. At the same time, the organization has had multiple misses on the player development front like first-round picks Patrick Williams and Dalen Terry.
It is hard to read much into a player development hire. However, changing the entire staff under Redick and bringing in a new face to lead player development suggests that the Lakers are currently focused more on the future than the present.
There hasn’t been much progress on improving the roster for the 2024-25 season. GM Rob Pelinka has consistently struck out in free agency and trade talks. The only major changes happening in the organization coming on the coaching front is certainly a cause of frustration among the Lakers fanbase.
