As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to lick their wounds from their first-round playoff exit, plenty of questions loom surrounding the future of the team’s star members. LeBron James declined to give a definitive update on his retirement timeline, while Luka Doncic is expected to sign a long-term deal with the Lakers, but admitted he hasn’t really thought about it yet.
As for first-year coach JJ Redick, his standing in L.A. may be the clearest despite getting rather quickly knocked out of the postseason by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the five-game series.
Redick’s job is safe, team sources recently told The Athletic, and the Lakers are “optimistic about his future with the franchise.”
Redick, an ex-NBA vet-turned-successful podcaster, went down an unorthodox path to become the Lakers’ new head coach last summer. His debut season with the Lakers had its highs and lows—Redick helped lead the team to a 50-win campaign and made smart adjustments after the blockbuster Doncic trade, but was heavily criticized for his rotation choices during the series loss to the Timberwolves.
Many previously worried whether Redick would be up to the task leading a storied and high-profile franchise like the Lakers; however, his inexperience didn’t scare the Lakers’ brass a year ago, and it still hasn’t now
It also certainly helps that Redick has the confident backing of both Lakers’ superstars, James and Doncic. It’s onto the next for Redick and his team
