Despite being on the heels of a highly successful 2024-25 regular season leading the Los Angeles Lakers, J.J. Redick still has a lot to prove as a head coach. He’s still relatively inexperienced coaching at the NBA level, and he’s yet to enjoy much playoff success with the Purple and Gold.
Redick led the No. 3 seed Lakers to just one win over the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves before they got sent home in the opening round of the playoffs last season. Still, insider Jovan Buha believes that the Lakers view Redick as a “Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, Ty Lue type of franchise coach.”
“My understanding of just the whole situation, the whole dynamic, how they view it — they are very high on J.J.,” Buha said. “They were very encouraged by his rookie season even with the early exit against Minnesota.
“And they view him — remember, this was a guy that as we reported at The Athletic, Shams [Charania] and I — they were viewing him as the next Pat Riley. And I think there were some things in that first season that they felt were in line with that. And I think they view him as that Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr, Ty Lue type of franchise coach.
“And I think that’s going to take some time, especially with him being relatively inexperienced and now having more experience but still only entering his second season as a head coach. I think there’s going to be a bit of a learning curve still, a bit of a development process with J.J. as a head coach and a leader.
“I think he’s been ahead of schedule overall, but with the Lakers, it’s championship or bust every single season. So, if they lose in the first round, if they miss the playoffs, if they’re a play-in team, that will fall on J.J.’s feet to some extent. But I don’t think it’s going to be enough to make him or to put him in the hot seat. I think he’s going to be safe for the foreseeable future.
“I also think a big factor here is the relationship with Luka [Doncic]. Luka really likes him. Luka f—- with him. It’s just a good dynamic. So, as long as that is still there, and I anticipate it will be, I think J.J. is going to continue to be the coach.”
Whether or not Redick has a future as the Lakers’ head coach for the long haul could depend on how they fare in the playoffs over the next couple of years. His first season as head coach came to an end in disappointing fashion early in the playoffs, but it sounds like Los Angeles is going to be patient with him.
It remains to be seen how the Lakers will fare in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, assuming they are one of the eight teams in the Western Conference to qualify. Perhaps Los Angeles’ first-round exit last season has given Redick a better understanding of how to win at a high level, and he will lead the team deep into the playoffs.
Plus, for as much as coaching matters in the NBA, Redick can only do so much and ultimately can’t step on the floor for the Lakers. Hence, Los Angeles’ success will largely be up to how the players execute his vision and the quality of play from its star duo of Doncic and LeBron James.
Star power is often key to winning it all in today’s NBA, and the Lakers fortunately have plenty of that between those two household names. They will also, however, need help from their supporting cast.