{"id":170962,"date":"2025-12-28T21:23:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T02:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=170962"},"modified":"2025-12-28T21:23:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T02:23:19","slug":"time-for-the-lakers-to-reverse-their-adou-thiero-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/12\/28\/time-for-the-lakers-to-reverse-their-adou-thiero-decision\/","title":{"rendered":"Time For The Lakers To Reverse Their Adou Thiero Decision"},"content":{"rendered":"

LOS ANGELES \u2014 The Lakers<\/a> are 19\u201310 and sit fourth in the West. Despite being nine games above .500, concern is growing in Los Angeles. A three-game losing skid has exposed familiar issues. Houston punctuated that slide with a Christmas Day blowout. Amid the spiral, the Lakers need to play Adou Thiero<\/a> more.<\/p>\n

Time For The Lakers To Reverse Their Adou Thiero Decision<\/h2>\n

Offense Holding, Defense Cratering<\/h3>\n
\"Lakers
Nov 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick reacts during the game against the Miami Heat during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Lakers own the league\u2019s seventh-best<\/a> offense. Injuries have forced players in and out of the rotation. When healthy, they can field a top-three offense. That potential still exists despite recent struggles. The defense tells a different story. The Lakers carried a middling defense for most of the season. Over the last two weeks, it has cratered. They now rank among the league\u2019s bottom-five defenses. That decline has caused major headaches for JJ Redick and his staff. They have leaned on effort and focus. That approach seems to have hit a brick wall.<\/p>\n

Redick\u2019s Frustration Boils Over<\/h3>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t care enough right now,\u201d Redick said<\/a> after the 27-point loss to Houston. \u201cAnd that\u2019s the part that bothers you a lot. We don\u2019t care enough to do the things that are necessary. We don\u2019t care enough to be a professional.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two words of the day were effort and execution,\u201d Redick added. \u201cWhen we do both at a high level, we\u2019re a good basketball team. When we don\u2019t, we\u2019re terrible. Tonight, we were terrible. That started right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Banshee Identity<\/h3>\n

Redick understands this roster lacks elite defensive talent outside Marcus Smart<\/a> and Jarred Vanderbilt<\/a>. He expects the team to compensate with effort. He wants them to play like banshees.<\/p>\n

\u201cBanshee\u201d became internal shorthand during Redick\u2019s first season. The term reflects an identity. It is also the name of a group chat with assistants Greg St. Jean, Beau Levesque, Ty Abbott, and Michael Wexler. They applied it to players coaches trust. Those players embrace physicality, effort, and unglamorous work. They prioritize winning above all else. Redick has used the label broadly.<\/p>\n

Why Adou Thiero Fits<\/h3>\n

Thiero fits the banshee mold with jaw-dropping athleticism and a nonstop motor. Rob Pelinka maneuvered aggressively in June\u2019s draft. He moved up multiple times in the second round to select Thiero at No. 36. Thiero fills an immediate need on a roster lacking above-the-rim athletes. His seven-foot wingspan gives him disruptive upside. He averaged 1.6 steals during his junior season at Arkansas. That number highlights his instincts. He covers ground defensively. Thiero has the lateral quickness to switch across forward spots. He also has the length to contest at the rim.<\/p>\n

Thiero uses speed, motor, and reach to impact the glass and open court. He thrives in transition. He finishes above the rim or draws fouls with long strides. Thiero attacks closeouts as a straight-line slasher. These traits align perfectly with Redick\u2019s vision. To revive their defense, the Lakers must give Adou Thiero real minutes.<\/p>\n