The Los Angeles Lakers have recently held a short leash on head coaches, but general manager Rob Pelinka expressed confidence in JJ Redick after the team’s first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Lakers were favored to defeat the Timberwolves and advance to at least the second round of the postseason, but fell short as they lost in five games to Minnesota. Redick notably became defensive about his inexperience ahead of the final game of the series when a reporter asked if he planned to lean on his assistants.
Though the Lakers did not live up to expectations in the postseason, Redick did lead the Lakers to an improved regular season. In an overall successful debut campaign as the Lakers’ head coach, Redick helped the Lakers to a 50-32 record and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference—their highest win total and seeding since the 2019-20 season.
Pelinka was clearly pleased with what Redick brought to the team in his first season as head coach, and said his confidence in Redick “couldn’t be higher.”
“This season was full of some exciting things that we really need to lean into for our future,” Pelinka said on Thursday. “JJ brought a complete revival of energy and incredibly hard work ethic, attention to detail, a spirit to our team, to our group, to our franchise as a rookie coach that we haven’t seen in a long time. My level of confidence couldn’t be higher. He’s a great partner to work with, he’s an incredible basketball mind.”
Redick also received praise after their playoff loss from the Lakers’ two biggest stars—Luka Doncic and LeBron James
“Yeah I think he’s a hell of a coach,” Doncic said. “Not many coaches do the stuff he did in his first year—his rookie year, however you want to say it. So, I’m really glad I got coached by him these couple of months.”
“I think JJ’s going to continue to grow. Thought he had a hell of a rookie campaign for a rookie coach,” James said. “And it’s a lot different being a rookie coach. It’s already hard being a rookie coach in the NBA. And it’s a hell of a lot harder being a rookie head coach coaching the Lakers. It’s a whole ‘nother ballgame. And I thought he handled it extremely well. I thought he just learned every single day, held us accountable. He pushed us.”
It’s clear that while the Lakers’ postseason didn’t go to plan, the team is fully confident in Redick moving forward.
