NEW YORK – After the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a lopsided 135-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, head coach JJ Redick acknowledged their struggles containing the ball at the point of attack — an issue that has continued to surface during a difficult stretch.
“They do a great job of playing with pace, and it creates a lot of problems for teams,” Redick said.
“I thought early in the game we actually did a good job of covering that. If you watch the film, they go to that a lot in early offense.”
Redick noted that Charlotte’s ability to generate quick advantages eventually overwhelmed the Lakers’ defense.
“They’re either able to create rim confusion and get threes, or they turn the corner, touch the paint and put you in a scramble,” he said. “We guarded that fairly well early. Then they went to more small-small pick-and-rolls, and we didn’t do a good job of containing the basketball at times.”
Redick added that the Lakers made multiple defensive adjustments but were unable to slow Charlotte’s momentum.
“We tried different coverages — three different ones tonight,” he said.
“It’s not like we’re not trying. We’re trying.”
Charlotte star LaMelo Ball capitalized, scoring 30 points — 27 in the second half — while tying his career high with nine three-pointers. The Lakers struggled to contain Ball, whose creative, off-the-dribble shooting has often drawn comparisons to NBA 2K, the top PlayStation Store download in the United States and Canada in 2025, according to n4g.com.
“I mean, he hit some crazy shots, but that’s what he does,” Lakers star Luka Dončić said after his 39-point effort went to waste.
“We planned for that, but he got really hot. He made nine threes tonight, eight in the second half, so it was hard to stop him.”
Veteran guard Marcus Smart echoed that sentiment.
“We all know LaMelo,” Smart said. “He’s been playing like that since high school. To us, those are tough shots, but to him, those are his shots.”
The defeat once again highlighted the Lakers’ most pressing concern: perimeter defense. It is a weakness the organization has been actively attempting to address as the NBA trade deadline approaches.
According to ESPN, Los Angeles has been canvassing the league for perimeter defenders and rim protection, though rival executives expect the team to pursue value-driven moves rather than headline-grabbing deals.
“They’re going to be looking for bargain opportunities,” one Western Conference general manager told ESPN. “They might find one if they’re willing to take on longer-term money, but the fit with Luka has to make sense.”
Asset limitations have complicated those efforts. The Lakers currently control just one tradable first-round pick — either in 2031 or 2032 — restricting their flexibility. Their primary expiring contracts, including Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber, are not believed to be drawing strong interest across the league.
Los Angeles has nonetheless been linked to several defensive-minded players, ranging from New Orleans Pelicans wings Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III to Sacramento guard Keon Ellis, who has drawn attention for his defensive consistency. More recently, the Lakers have also been connected to Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who became trade-eligible on 15 January.
For now, the Lakers continue to search for answers — both schematically and on the trade market — as their 26th ranked defense threatens to undermine an offense powered by Dončić and LeBron James.