Lakers’ JJ Redick Delivers Bad News to Surging Rookie

It was a giant mess of a seven-team trade last summer–the kind of trade that the Los Angeles Lakers are usually at the center of–that brought highly touted collegiate prosect Adou Thiero to the Lakers, after he had been the No. 36 pick overall in the draft in June. The impetus of that trade was not much to do with the Lakers, but was, rather, the means for moving Kevin Durant to Houston from Phoenix. But along the way, the Lakers collected Thiero, and immediately took to the young forward’s talents.

Thiero actually got some minutes with the Lakers as a rookie, when both LeBron James and Austin Reaves were dealing with injuries. Thiero played 11 games in December, averaging 6.8 minutes, and struggled with his shooting–he made just 31.3% of his field-goal attempts and only shot one 3-pointer in that stretch.

Then Thiero went down with a knee injury in January and was on the shelf for most of two months. But he is back now and has been tearing up the G League, leading to questions about whether he has a role to fill for the Lakers.

---

Adou Thiero Shines for Lakers G League Team

On Sunday, Thiero scored 25 points for the South Bay Lakers, making 10 of the 12 shots he attempted and all five of his 3-pointers. It  was easily his best game as a pro at any level, his fourth game in the G League. Thiero had been a non-factor in his last South Bay game, with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting, but scored 33 points combined in his first two G League games, on 13-for-17 total shooting.

That’s the good news for Thiero. A Lakers team that has been demonstrably poor at developing young players in recent years seems to be bringing him along at both a pace and in a style that suits him.

But there is bad news, too. As good as Thiero looked for South Bay, coach JJ Redick–who has been an advocate for him all year–says he just can’t play him in the big leagues.

---

Lakers Can’t Fit Rookie Minutes

Asked about Thiero’s surge and what it means for the Lakers this season, Redick was blunt.

Said the coach: “As far as it relates to, you know, our rotation now, I have a hard enough time when we’re healthy, getting everybody minutes as it is. But I think our staff, myself—definitely myself because I was the one pushing for it in the beginning of the year—definitely want to get him opportunities. Those opportunities are not there right now. That’s just the reality.”

 

---

Adou Theiro Having a ‘Developmental Year’

But Redick made clear that he feels Thiero has a future with the Lakers and that, had it not been for the knee injury in December, that future might have been in full swing now.

Redick was expansive in talking about Theiro: “You know, he didn’t have a summer. Had some medical issues, didn’t get to play, didn’t get to do preseason. So, kind of was catching up—we had some injuries, got him some rotation minutes and then they got hurt again. So, Adou and I have talked at the beginning of the year, and we felt like, not knowing exactly when he would come back and be healthy again, that this was very likely going to be a development year, particularly at the beginning. And then, to have the re-injury.

“He needs to play basketball and you know, I think we had a great conversation last week. Just about the importance of being down there and being coached and working on the right habits. I think four of the last five games, he has been really good. He has been really good. I think he’s in a good spot to sort of embrace that.”

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney