JJ Redick’s podcast producer makes massive Luka Doncic ‘conditioning’ claim, citing Lakers’ HC’s remarks

One of the narratives surrounding Luka Doncic following his trade to the LA Lakers and after their elimination from the playoffs was his conditioning. Someone close to Lakers coach JJ Redick shared some intel on how Doncic’s offseason is going so far.

The producer of Redick’s podcast “The Old Man and the Three,” Jason Gallagher, shared on “The Dumb Zone” how Doncic has started his offseason with a “clean slate.” He reportedly will take his conditioning issues seriously, with Gallagher citing the Lakers coach’s comment after getting ousted by the Minnesota Timberwolves from the playoffs.

“I have heard from folks that are pretty honest about the conditioning stuff or whatever that Luka has already begun to clean slate,” Gallagher said. “Like starting anew, this is the most, he’s already like in this mindset of changing a lot about himself. Now, I’ve heard it before, but not from specific people that have been critical of him. So I’ll say that I think JJ was trying to make a point last (season). … He was trying to make a point in the playoffs by playing five people in a half.”

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Luka Doncic was acquired by the LA Lakers back in early February, giving the purple and gold army hope about their post-LeBron James future. However, Doncic's disappointing play in the postseason was a point of discussion among many members of the fanbase, as well as critics.

Doncic has had conditioning problems for the majority of his career. He will need to take a page out of Nikola Jokic's playbook on how to have fun during the summer and be in playing shape heading into the season.

Blake Griffin makes honest assessment about Luka Doncic and the Lakers

Former NBA player Blake Griffin dropped an honest assessment of the Luka Doncic and LeBron James pairing for the LA Lakers. Griffin explained in an interview with Bookmaker Ratings that the Lakers' roster wasn't built for the playoffs.

Griffin believed that Doncic and James can play together but pointed out that Jaxson Hayes and Jarred Vanderbilt, as well as Doncic and Austin Reaves, are not fit to be on the court together.

"They’re going to have to build that roster for the playoffs," Griffin said. "I don’t think that roster was built well for the playoffs at all. Luka and Austin Reaves on the floor at the same time, you watch the Wolves series, they're just going at one of them every single time. ... Can’t play Jaxson Hayes and Vanderbilt together at the same time."

The Lakers' priority this offseason is to find a center who can run to the rim and be a legitimate lob threat.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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