JJ Redick Explains Why Lakers Have Been Cautious With Adou Thiero’s Rehab

The Los Angeles Lakers traded up in the 2025 NBA Draft in order to take Adou Thiero out of Arkansas. The hyper-athletic forward was viewed as a potential two-way wing who thrives on the defensive end and has enough tools to work with and develop offensively that could make him a real important piece for this team in the future.

Thiero has been recovering from knee surgery and thus was unavailable for the Summer League and preseason. He is now getting closer to finally being able to take the court, though his first stints will almost definitely come in the G League with the South Bay Lakers. But as far as head coach JJ Redick is concerned, his on-court reps are not top priority.

According to Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group, Redick spoke about what the Lakers saw in Thiero that made them draft him while explaining why they are being so cautious with the rookie as he makes his way back:

“We felt like he’s somebody that really fits in the modern NBA because of his motor and how athletic and the size,” Redick said. “View him as a guy that could be a banshee-crasher, a full-court pickup guy, an elite cutter, a physical defender. Every team needs those guys. So excited about his future as a Laker.

“And I told him this, and I’ve said this to you guys: this year is really important for him as a development year, but it’s as much about getting his body right and learning the NBA, the language, and all of that stuff as it is about getting on-court reps. There will be opportunities at some point in the future. I don’t know when that is for him to get some reps with us in-game, but we’re gonna make sure that his body’s right.”

This mindset makes sense for Redick and the Lakers as they want to ensure this knee issue isn’t something that lingers around and affects Thiero for years to come. Especially for a player whose athleticism and jumping ability is extremely important for his style of play, the Lakers must make sure this isn’t a long-term issue.

The Lakers have a lot of veterans in front of Thiero already, so the likelihood of him having a big rotational role is already slim, which makes focusing on his body and making sure everything is perfect on that front the right call.

Lakers clear Adou Thiero for live on-court contact work

The good news is that Adou Thiero seems to be inching closer to being able to take the floor for as the Lakers have cleared the rookie for live on-court contact work. He will be able to take part in five-on-five activities and is expected to participate in practices both for the main Lakers as well as South Bay.