JJ Redick had said in a post-game conference right after the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a heartbreaking 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Eliminated from the postseason after a clear showing of promise and confidence earlier in the season, the team (evidently) was left spellbound as Anthony Edwards & Co. delivered a masterclass. Who’s to blame for the loss? As expected, the onus has fallen on the rookie NBA head coach. Now, add to that another statement from LeBron James’ agent and confidant, Rich Paul’s praise unintentionally pitting the coaches against each other, and things only get dicier.
Majorly because Redick was up for a steep challenge when the front office based its hiring on a leap of faith: The HC had no prior coaching experience, except volunteering as a head coach for Brooklyn Basketball Academy’s fourth-grade boys team where his 9-year-old son played. His predecessor, Darvin Ham, on the other hand, had joined the team with a decorated resume—he started his coaching career back in 2008 with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds as an assistant, moving to four more teams in the next 14 years. In his first year with the Lakers, Ham had pushed the team to the Western Conference Finals, then led them to the playoffs the following year, after clinching the inaugural NBA Cup in-season tournament against the Indiana Pacers
And while Redick’s regular season record (50-32) and grabbing the No. 3 seed in the West, is better than Ham’s 2023-24 regular season numbers (47-35), the result is more or less the same: Another Round 1 elimination. And not just that, even Redick’s puzzling Game 4 decision to play LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney-Smith and Rui Hachimura for 24 minutes straight—a first in NBA playoff history—reminded fans of Ham “just throwing some lineups up against the wall to see what stick” strategy. As for Redick? Perhaps NBA reporter Kevin O’ Connor put it in the simplest of words: “He has always been an underperformer in the postseason
And right at this moment, intentionally or intentionally, Rich Paul talking about Ham is sure to garner some eyeballs. While on the NBA Insider, Chris Haynes’ podcast ‘Haynes Briefs,‘ Paul gave an unpopular opinion on May 2. “Prior to JJ (Redick) coming, Darwin Ham did a great job with what he had,” Paul stated. “You know to be a… but again, but also matchups came into play, you got Memphis, you got Golden State. So you need a little bit of help every which way, and then obviously you know the players got to play to the level that they know they can.
LeBron James’ close ally suggested that Ham did the best he could with the group of players he had at his disposal. Indeed, the 51-year-old finished his tenure boasting a 90-74 record with a .549 win-loss percentage, which isn’t too bad. However, you can’t compare his achievements to Redick’s, who had a solid rookie season campaign as the Lakers finished the season with a 50-32 record as the third seed in the Western Conference. Nonetheless, there are a few of JJ Redick’s actions that demand everyone’s attention.
JJ Redick’s confidence has been commendable throughout the season. He has ended several pre- and post-game conferences with a spicy mic-drop. He has carried his winning mentality from his playing days to his coaching career. While he got all the love from the fans and media alike when the Lakers were on a roll, he’s quick to realize coaching in the NBA is judged by one thing. Of course, in this league, a head coach is judged by wins and losses. Moreover, coaching the Los Angeles Lakers adds the extra bit of pressure to the job. When you’re the head coach of a franchise whose history is as extensive as the Lakers, you’re under the microscope all the time.
The Lakers’ head coach’s historic decision to not make any changes in the second half of Game 4 that led the team to fall into a 3-1 deficit is a good example of how much of a stir a single decision causes. However, another move by Redick has gone under the radar, but LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, has brought it to light. He talked about why Jaxson Hayes did not get much gametime despite LA visibly lacking a solid big man. “You also got to understand what leads to that decision-making. The series didn’t start out like that. That young man was playing. He was given the opportunity to start and play.” Paul stated. He suggested that a lot goes behind making a call in the NBA, especially during the postseason.
He further explained that, unfortunately for Hayes, he committed a technical foul in the very first quarter of the game. This type of thing is not acceptable, and it might’ve made Redick lose a bit of faith in the young center. Moreover, he also pointed out that Hayes is a great professional and that Paul doesn’t know if playing him would’ve made a massive change. Nonetheless, JJ Redick and the rest of the Lakers will have a lot of time to reflect on their mistakes as they turn their focus toward the next season and hope to improve with a massive summer ahead of them.
