The Los Angeles Lakers needed a helping hand. They lost two-thirds of their ‘Big 3’. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both out for weeks. Head coach JJ Redick decided to fill out the roster with help from the South Bay Lakers. He called up three youngsters at a time of equal importance for the Lakers’ G-League affiliate.
The South Bay Lakers were in the midst of the G-League playoffs. Likewise, with Redick asking for reinforcements at such a time, the expectation was that Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, and Nick Smith Jr. could get a real opportunity. However, it ended up being a double blow for the Purple and Gold.
Firstly, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks. Cooper Flagg torched the Lakers with 45 points. LeBron James gave it his all, with 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists in the clash. But it wasn’t enough. The point of contention here was Redick’s decision with roster management. He relied heavily on the senior team.
Left it all out on the court
pic.twitter.com/UW9MGCSclg
— South Bay Lakers (@SouthBayLakers) April 6, 2026
The players part of the G-League featured for a combined time of 14:36. Bronny James accounted for close to nine minutes. Knecht and Adou Thiero weren’t subbed into the game once. These were all key players for the South Bay Lakers. Losing them hurt the G-League team’s competitive ability.
The South Bay Lakers subsequently lost their game against the Stockton Kings. Just like that, their season was over, and they couldn’t even put up a fair fight to stay alive in the G-League postseason. That decision from JJ Redick, which indirectly handicapped the South Bay Lakers, didn’t sit well with the fans.
Not only were they hurt by their playoff exit, but also Redick’s hesitance to give some of the young players an opportunity.
Laker fans are unhappy with JJ Redick
As the Lakers’ young core sat on the bench, some fans were livid. “Maybe JJ didn’t need to bring key players to Dallas if he wasn’t going to use them,” a fan wrote. His decision wasn’t the problem, but the consequence surely was. It didn’t add any value to the Lakers’ season since they barely got any playing time.
“This is JJ’s fault. Lakers recalled Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith, Adou Thiero, and Kobe Bufkin. Pretty much the best players, and JJ didn’t even play them. He sabotaged the G League team,” one fan wrote. Each of the guys called up played an important role for the South Bay Lakers. Dalton Knecht recently had 24, snapping a cold streak while playing for them. Others also hold important roles within the team.
Redick’s decision to call them up to the main roster backfired on both fronts. “JJ REDICK destroyed both LA LAKERS and SOUTH BAY LAKERS in just 2 GAMES only. He called G League players to play nothing today while SOUTH BAY has an important game,” a fan mentioned. The feeling especially hit deep since the Lakers were poor from beyond the arc.
Fans would think players like Knecht and Nick Smith Jr., who are efficient three-point shooters, could get an opportunity. However, that didn’t happen even though the Lakers shot just 29.6% from beyond the arc. Some fans felt for the players. One fan wrote, “Robbed the guys for absolutely no reason”.
Had they been with the South Bay Lakers, these players would have played a good amount of minutes. Aside from giving them a good chance at winning, they would have more rhythm in case JJ Redick does need them for the postseason. Instead, all they got were front row seats to a Lakers game.
It left most fans with the same thought. “They should’ve left those players that they called and didn’t play vs Dallas,” a fan commented. It would have been a better option than calling them up without a purpose. It seemed only a lopsided contest could have seen the G-League players have a chance. If that was the only reason behind Redick’s decision, then I have to agree with the fans.
The South Bay Lakers were playing great basketball with a complete roster. However, their entire season was compromised because of their stars’ unavailability for today’s game. JJ Redick didn’t have these players in his plans tonight. Then why take away a great opportunity to gain exposure? That’s the question most fans must have on their minds.
