The Los Angeles Lakers are less than one week away from beginning their first season under new head coach JJ Redick. They kept a very similar roster from last season, minus the rotational additions of Dalton Knecht, Max Christie and Gabe Vincent after an injury last season, giving Redick a chance to show he is truly a difference-maker.
Redick has already come under fire before coaching even one regular-season NBA game. People who believe Redick is unqualified for this job have not been shy in saying so. But they have wrongfully ignored his playing career and intellectual insight, which could make him a great coach.
Vincent has certainly enjoyed his time with Redick early on. The veteran guard spent one year under Darvin Ham and, before that, four years under one of the best coaches of all time, Erik Spoelstra. And his early review of Redick gives him props for the way he delineates information via Spectrum SportsNet:
“Overall, I think JJ has been great communicator first and foremost. So I think whether he raises his voice a tad, it never felt like we were being scolded, if that makes sense. It just seemed like he needed to address something that was serious and he addressed it and we took the message and applied it in the next half. So he’s done a great job of communicating to the guys and getting his message across very clearly.”
Ham, the previous Lakers head coach, was often criticized for not being a clear communicator, especially when it came to roles and rotations throughout the course of a long regular season. For players to feel bought in for 82 games, their head coach must be clear and concise when discussing those subjects.
And it seems as though Redick is already getting credit for doing that. He had the built-in challenge of never having coaching experience and also being much younger than the average NBA head coach. He has turned both into an advantage by being open and honest about expectations in a non-critical way.
Austin Reaves enjoying set rotations from JJ Redick
Redick expects to use a nine-man rotation but is open to expansion should a player impress him.
The nine-man rotation was the case Tuesday night when Redick ran with his anticipated Opening Night players in the first half. Coaches have dress rehearsals as the preseason nears a close, and Reaves liked having that early preview.
“Yeah, I think it’s just a comfort level in knowing,” Reaves said. “Anything you do, if you know what’s asked of you to do or you know the game plan going into the game, obviously throughout the flow of the game things are gonna change, it’s not always gonna be a set time, someone might get hot and you might sit a little longer or you might stay out a little longer. But knowing where you’re gonna generate most of your shots, defensively what is being asked of you, is really good. That just comes with the foundation that this coaching staff has came and put in. To me, it’s a really good thing.”
