In the wake of a disappointing 112-98 loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick appeared on ESPN’s NBA Countdown to discuss the Lakers’ struggles and what they need to do to turn things around.

Redick emphasized the importance of the Lakers taking ownership of their performance and not blaming outside factors for their struggles.

“The Lakers need to take ownership of this loss. They can’t point fingers at the coaching staff or the front office. They need to look in the mirror and realize that they’re not playing well enough,” said Redick.

Redick pointed to a lack of accountability as a major issue for the Lakers. He believes that players are not being held responsible for their mistakes and that this is leading to a culture of complacency.

“There’s a lack of accountability on this team. Players are not being held responsible for their mistakes, and it’s creating an environment where they don’t feel the pressure to perform,” added Redick.

Redick also stressed the importance of LeBron James taking a leadership role and demanding more from his teammates.

“LeBron is the leader of this team, and he needs to take control. He needs to demand more from his teammates and hold them accountable,” said Redick.

Beyond the lack of accountability, Redick identified the Lakers’ defensive issues as a major concern.

“The Lakers are not playing defense at a high enough level. They’re giving up easy baskets and allowing opposing teams to shoot well. They need to find a way to get more stops,” Redick noted.

Redick suggested that the Lakers could consider making some changes to their defensive scheme, such as switching more often or playing more zone.

In the midst of the Lakers’ struggles, there have been rumors that the team is considering making a trade to shake things up.

“I think it’s too early to talk about trades. The Lakers need to give this team a chance to figure things out. They have a lot of talent, and they can definitely turn things around,” said Redick.

JJ Redick believes that the Lakers can turn things around, but it will require them to take ownership of their performance, hold each other accountable, and play better defense.

“The Lakers have a lot of potential, but they need to find a way to put it all together. If they can do that, they can be a contender,” Redick concluded.