The LA Lakers dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season, a surprising turn given how disjointed their defense has looked for weeks. The Phoenix Suns exploited those lapses once again, prompting JJ Redick to speak with unfiltered honesty. He called for real change, stressing that a polished offense alone will not suffice. The message was aimed at players and Rob Pelinka alike.

In tonight’s 132-108 loss to the Suns, Redick felt he ran out of defensive options to contain the Suns. But energy is the primary demand for his schemes to work. When asked whether the team consists of individuals who can generally play hard every game, the Lakers’ head coach gave a concerning response. Redick was straightforward and said, “No.”

His ask underscored the need for a particular profile of players the Lakers currently don’t have. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves aren’t expected to be ball hounds. That’s upon Rob Pelinka to surround the backcourt with wings who are defensively sharp. The Lakers can’t expect Dalton Knecht or Maxi Kleber to be those plays.

Not having the right personnel leaves Redick helpless. He tried a variety of defensive schemes tonight. Through all those different looks, the Suns shot 58.8% from the field and almost 42% from beyond the arc.

“I think the theme with our team again is like these young teams that move, we just can’t move,” JJ Redick said. “So it’s like we’re stuck in mud. Zone didn’t work. And then we went to a 15 in the second half. One through five switching, that didn’t work. So at that point, you’re out of options.”

The problem is the market doesn’t have any viable 3&D options. The Pelicans Herb Jones and Trey Murphy could both cost a fortune. Keon Ellis is drawing attention from multiple teams, turning it into a power battle. With just one first-round pick to offer, the Purple and Gold can’t fit the high demands teams will set for such players.

Unless the Lakers’ front office is willing to make a huge sacrifice in hopes of improving the team, there aren’t any attractive prospects. At this time, it’s the players who need to start taking accountability for the situation.

And it seems that’s beginning to take shape.

A veteran’s voice resonates with the Lakers’ growing concerns

The Lakers are facing adversity, but Marcus Smart feels it’s all down to what the players do on the floor. The former Celtics point guard and a defensive savant feels that coaches are doing their job of preparing the players. However, it’s not being reciprocated with their execution on the hardwood.

“There’s really no defense, no scheme we can do when we’re giving up offensive rebounds in crucial moments like we are, or guys are getting wherever they want on the court. And there’s no help, there’s no resistance, there’s no urgency,” Smart said.

That’s the kind of leadership that’s required right now. Because defense ultimately comes down to the effort a team can display as a collective. Currently, that’s what seems to be lacking for the Lakers. They rank 21 in steals and 27 in blocked shots. If those are shallow metrics, the Lakers also contest the third fewest shots in the NBA.

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That all boils down to how the players approach the other side of the floor. Even if a ball hawk like Jared Vanderbilt is deployed, the team still needs to play with energy and compete defensively. So the Lakers have players who can do that? Rui Hachimura is criticized, but he possesses the physical gifts. Gabe Vincent also applies pressure on the ball, averaging 1.9 deflections, the fifth highest for the Lakers.

But unless the Lakers can rally behind such players, their defensive potential could remain subdued. All five players have to be in fine tune to have a successful defensive effort. A strong voice in the locker room, like Smart’s, could hopefully signal the need for playing together. Until that happens, teams might most likely keep exploiting the Lakers’ unenthusiastic defensive effort.

Do you think the Lakers need to make a trade or just start playing together? Let us know your views in the comments below.