JJ Redick will be the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers
That is both expected and yet surprising. Redick’s name popped up as a potential candidate from the moment Darvin Ham was fired (and, in speculative circles, even before Ham was fired). He has been the clear frontrunner for most of the process, save for a feud with UConn’s Dan Hurley.
Still, it’s surprising because the Lakers have entered a time of transition for the franchise with a completely inexperienced coach — they’re now trying to win in the final years of LeBron James’ career while building something sustainable for a post-LeBron world .
The Lakers made a high-risk, high-reward hire. Here are five lessons from the move.
Hiring Redick is just the first step, roster upgrades are needed
It won’t matter if Redick is good as a head coach or not if Lakers GM Rob Pelinka doesn’t upgrade the roster this offseason.
LeBron James – not so coincidentally Redick’s podcast partner – and Anthony Davis remain the anchors. Redick told the Lakers during the interview process that he wants to expand Davis’ role. reports The Athletic.
Redick described a system formed around this roster, which focused on increasing Anthony Davis’ involvement, especially late in games, and easing James’ constant ball-handling duties by using him more off the ball. Keeping James, who turns 40 in December, fresh through the regular season and playoffs will be key.
That means finding another high-level ball handler and shot maker on the trade market. Trae Young is a name that has emerged as a potential trade target, and within hours of Redick being hired, Young posted this on X (formerly Twitter).
The Lakers need more than stars. Look at the last two NBA champions – Boston and Denver – and it’s clear how important it is to have good role players who mesh well with the stars. In addition to another ballhandler, Pelinka needs to upgrade the talent on the wings (having a healthy Jarred Vanderbilt will help).
Redick needs to do his part, put players in better positions and develop players like Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Max Christie to take the next steps in their careers.
Ultimately, talent wins in the NBA, and the Lakers need more of it if they want to avoid play-in next season in what will be a deeper and better Western Conference.
Be patient, give Redick time to grow into the job
Give Rob Pelinka credit, he didn’t play it safe.
Redick is a signing who breaks the mold: he’s not a former head coach or top assistant, and he’s not a former Laker (in fact, he’s a former Clipper).
The Lakers needed to break their mold and try something new.
With that must come patience. Perhaps the most cited statistic during the Lakers’ coaching search was that the team had finished higher than seventh in the West just once in the past 12 years (in 2020, when they won the title). The coaching turnover has been a sign of an impatient front office and ownership without a plan — no coach since Phil Jackson spent more than three years with the Lakers.
Redick could be the man to break that streak, but the Lakers need to be patient – let him learn on the job. Let him make mistakes, suffer losses and grow. Boston management didn’t panic about Joe Mazzulla’s struggles as a rookie (he was thrown on the job at the last minute in his freshman year, to be fair). He has clearly grown into the role.
One thing is in Redick’s favor: If he fails at this task, the ax won’t just swing his way. This is Rob Pelinka’s third coaching hire with the Lakers, and in the process he tried to downplay Tyronn Lue (only three years and wanted to put coaches on his staff) and then didn’t offer Hurley enough money to get him out of UConn (that number was maybe beyond Pelinka’s control, but then don’t go out into the streets).
Since Pelinka knows he’s in trouble if Redick swings and misses again, he has to be patient.
Redick has to deal with pressure and expectations
One of the more difficult parts of the Lakers’ coaching job is dealing with the spotlight, the rabid fan base and the outsized expectations compared to the talent on the roster. And that’s not just the fans, but also the front office. The Lakers only hang up championship banners and incremental success is rarely celebrated. It can lead to short-term thinking when drawing up schedules.
The unreasonable expectations will start this season. Lakers fans will root for the team’s selection, saying Denver is the only team to beat them in the playoffs the last two years. As always, expectations will be high. Reality says the Lakers have to be behind Dallas, Denver, Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Memphis (a 50+ win team that gets everyone healthy again) to start the season. That makes the Lakers look like a 6-8 seed and likely a play-in team again. That might not sit well with LeBron, the front office or the fan base.
Redick shouldn’t let all the media attention, social media fans and expectations get to him. Just keep grinding.
Help Redick with an experienced staff of assistant coaches
Since he hasn’t done that, Redick needs people around him who have done this before. The Lakers need to spend money on assistant coaches and build an experienced staff to guide the rookie coach.
That starts with bringing in an experienced former head coach as chief assistant. Former Thunder coach Scott Brooks, now an assistant in Portland, is one name that came up. Another is former 76ers head coach and former Spurs assistant Brett Brown. It never hurts to give Stan Van Gundy a call, although whether he wants to leave his comfy TV chair to become an assistant coach is up for debate.
Then look for experienced former players. Rajon Rondo has been mentioned. That includes Jared Dudley in Dallas and Sam Cassell in Boston (although taking those guys off winning teams is unlikely and very expensive if you can).
Whoever it is, give Redick some guys to lean on.
Let Redick be Redick (stop with Spoelstra comps)
This somewhat ties into the patience topic above – don’t try to put Redick in the box of the next Pat Riley or Erik Spoelstra. Let him be Redick.
Some fans and media wanted to compare Redick to Miami’s hiring of Spoelstra, the man considered the best coach in the league today. That’s a terrible analogy. Never playing in the NBA, Spoelstra started as a video coordinator, worked his way up the ranks, proved himself a go-getter, became an assistant coach, learned and got better, and then had the right mix of preparation and personality function. Plus, he had the support of Pat Riley (even despite the fact that LeBron James wanted him gone). That’s not Redick’s path.
Riley isn’t Redick’s path either, even though he was an assistant coach for a few years as a broadcaster.
It doesn’t mean Redick won’t train; that could very well be the case. His basketball IQ and work ethic are not in question. While Redick’s lack of experience is a concern, he is not someone who comes to work with the red flags that some rookie head coaches see.
But be patient, give him a chance and let Redick be Redick.
