The Los Angeles Lakers didn't just hire a new face. They gambled. When Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka officially named JJ Redick the head coach of the Lakers in the summer of 2024, the collective groan from NBA Twitter was loud enough to shake Crypto.com Arena. People called it a "podcast hire." They said LeBron James was just hiring his buddy from Mind the Game. They pointed to the fact that Redick had literally zero coaching experience at the professional or collegiate level.
It looked like a circus. Honestly, it felt like one too.
But if you’ve actually watched this team move through the 2024-2025 season and into the early months of 2026, the narrative has shifted. Drastically. This isn't the disjointed, "vibes-based" basketball we saw under previous regimes. Redick has brought a level of tactical granularity that the Lakers haven't seen since the Frank Vogel championship run, but with a modern, offensive-heavy twist that actually utilizes Anthony Davis as the sun that the entire Los Angeles universe orbits around.
The Reality of Being the Coach of the Lakers
Being the coach of the Lakers is a weird job. It’s not just about drawing up a baseline out-of-bounds play. You’re a politician. You’re a psychologist. You’re a lightning rod for a fan base that views anything less than a Larry O’Brien trophy as a personal insult.
Redick stepped into this furnace with a specific philosophy: math. He’s obsessed with shot profile. He realized early on that the Lakers were dying by the mid-range jumper. Under Darvin Ham, there were nights where the floor spacing looked like a crowded elevator. Redick changed that. He demanded a higher volume of corner threes and, more importantly, he empowered Anthony Davis to be the primary hub of the offense rather than just a cleanup crew member.
It’s working because Redick isn't trying to be "one of the guys." Despite the friendship with LeBron, players have noted his intensity. Austin Reaves mentioned in a post-game scrum that Redick isn't afraid to "light someone up" in film sessions if they miss a defensive rotation. That’s the nuance people missed during the hiring process. Just because he’s a "new media" guy doesn't mean he lacks the old-school edge required to manage a locker room full of alphas.
Tactical Shifts and the AD Renaissance
The biggest win for the coach of the Lakers has been the rejuvenation of Anthony Davis. For years, the "Full Potential AD" felt like a myth we’d see for three games before he vanished into a secondary role.
Redick’s system uses Davis at the elbow in ways that mirror how Denver uses Nikola Jokić. No, AD isn't the passer Jokić is—nobody is—but the threat of the pass has opened up the lane for LeBron and Rui Hachimura.
- Shot Selection: The team has seen a 12% increase in "high-value" shots (rim and corner threes) compared to the 2023 season.
- Pace: They aren't just running for the sake of running; they are hunting early-clock mismatches before the defense can set its shell.
- Accountability: Redick famously benched a starter in the fourth quarter of a tight game against Memphis early in his tenure because of "low-effort transition tracking." That set a tone.
Why Experience Might Be Overrated in the Modern NBA
We love the "dues-paying" narrative. We want coaches to spend fifteen years behind a bench, wearing out cheap suits and eating cold pizza in the film room. But the NBA has changed. The game is now governed by complex analytics and the ability to relate to players who are themselves multi-million dollar brands.
Look at Joe Mazzulla in Boston. Look at Steve Kerr’s entry into Golden State.
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Redick’s advantage as the coach of the Lakers is that he speaks the modern language of the game. He understands the "why" behind the "what." When he explains a defensive coverage, he’s not just reciting a playbook; he’s explaining it from the perspective of a guy who spent fifteen years trying to navigate those same screens.
There’s a specific kind of credibility that comes with that. Players know he’s been in the trenches. They know he’s felt the pressure of a Game 7. While he lacks the "clipboard time," he possesses a high-level "court feel" that is often more valuable in late-game situations where tactical flexibility beats a rigid system every time.
The LeBron Factor: Partner or Player?
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. LeBron James is the most powerful employee in the history of professional sports. Any coach of the Lakers has to navigate that reality.
The fear was that Redick would be a puppet. The reality has looked more like a partnership of equals. Because Redick is willing to challenge the "King" on his defensive positioning—something several previous coaches were reportedly hesitant to do—he has actually earned more respect from the roster.
The "LeBron-GM" jokes have mostly faded because the results on the floor are undeniable. The Lakers are playing a brand of basketball that is aesthetically pleasing and, crucially, sustainable for an aging superstar. By offloading the primary playmaking duties to a system rather than a person, Redick is preserving LeBron for the postseason.
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Navigating the L.A. Media Circus
If you lose three games in a row in Charlotte, nobody notices. If you lose three games in a row as the coach of the Lakers, there are six hours of national television dedicated to your imminent firing.
Redick’s media training has been his secret weapon. He doesn't give "coach-speak" answers. He’ll go into the minutiae of a "Spain Pick and Roll" or explain exactly why a certain defensive drop coverage failed. By being transparent, he’s actually neutralized much of the toxic speculation that usually surrounds the team. He’s educating the fan base while he’s leading the team.
It’s a gutsy move. It invites criticism if your tactics fail, because everyone knows exactly what you were trying to do. But so far, the transparency has built a bridge of trust with a notoriously fickle Los Angeles media core.
Managing the Depth Chart
One of the more impressive feats this season has been the development of the "middle class" of the Lakers roster.
- Max Christie: Finally getting consistent minutes and a defined role as a 3-and-D specialist.
- Dalton Knecht: Integrated seamlessly into the rotation as a floor spacer who doesn't need the ball to be effective.
- Gabe Vincent: Finally healthy and being used as a point-of-attack pest that disrupts opposing guards.
Redick has moved away from the "all-star hunting" mentality. He’s focused on lineup synergy. He realized that playing three non-shooters at the same time is basketball suicide in 2026. He’s making the "math" work for the Lakers rather than against them.
The Challenges Ahead
It’s not all sunshine and Larry O’Brien trophies. The Western Conference is a meat grinder. The Thunder are young and terrifying. The Nuggets still have the best player on the planet. The Timberwolves are a defensive nightmare.
The coach of the Lakers is always one injury away from a crisis. With a roster built around an aging LeBron and an "injury-prone" (though largely healthy lately) Anthony Davis, the margin for error is razor-thin. Redick has to find a way to navigate the "dog days" of February without burning out his stars.
There is also the question of playoff adjustments. Regular season success is one thing. Winning a seven-game series against Erik Spoelstra or Ty Lue is another. That’s where the lack of experience might finally show. We haven't seen Redick handle the "chess match" of a deep playoff run where teams take away your Plan A and Plan B.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Lakers Season
If you’re trying to keep up with the Lakers' progress under JJ Redick, stop looking at the box score and start looking at the "process" markers.
- Watch the first 6 minutes of the 3rd quarter: This is where Redick has made his most effective halftime adjustments. The Lakers' Net Rating in the 3rd quarter has skyrocketed this year.
- Track the "Three-Point Frequency": If the Lakers are taking fewer than 35 threes, they are likely falling back into old, bad habits. Redick wants that number closer to 40.
- Monitor AD’s "Touch Points": Success for this team is directly correlated to how many times Anthony Davis touches the ball at the elbow or in the post.
- Listen to the post-game pressers: Redick often drops hints about their next defensive scheme or why a certain player’s minutes were limited. It’s a masterclass in modern NBA strategy.
The era of the "celebrity coach" who just manages egos is over. The coach of the Lakers is now a tactical specialist who has to prove his worth every single night on the grease board. JJ Redick might have started as a broadcaster, but he’s proving that his voice belongs in the huddle, not just behind a microphone. Whether this ends in a parade down Figueroa or another "rebuilding" phase remains to be seen, but for the first time in a long time, the Lakers have a clear, modern identity. And in the NBA, that’s half the battle.
The next steps for the organization involve aggressive scouting for a "backup big" before the trade deadline to alleviate the pressure on Davis. If the front office can provide Redick with one more defensive piece, the Lakers aren't just a playoff team—they’re a legitimate threat to win it all. Keep an eye on the buyout market; Redick’s reputation as a "player’s coach with a brain" is making Los Angeles a top destination for veterans looking for a ring.
The experiment is over. The tenure has begun. And honestly? It’s a lot more interesting than anyone expected.