The Los Angeles Lakers will have a laundry list of tasks that need to get accomplished this summer. The focus has largely been on what Rob Pelinka must do during the offseason. What about JJ Redick?
The Lakers coach enjoyed a pretty successful regular season in 2024-25. Redick navigated the blockbuster trade of the century, when the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic, and managed to guide the team to a 50-win campaign, plus the third seed, in the process.
However, dreams of a title quickly vanished in the 2025 NBA Playoffs with an embarrassing and premature playoff exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The seeds of doubt started to creep in about the Lakers' new bench boss.
It still feels fair to evaluate Redick's rookie season as a successful one. Despite that, it is also equally valid to believe there is a lot of work to be done heading into next season. Redick's top offseason priority will be figuring out how to get the most out of his superstar duo.
Redick's offseason plan must involve maximizing Doncic-James duo
The Lakers coach managed to start off his 2024-25 by shifting his offense to one that revolved greatly around Anthony Davis. Then, Redick was forced to figure things out regarding how to fit around Doncic instead.
In the process of doing so, there was one element that was missed: solving how to properly execute a successful and consistent two-man game with Doncic and LeBron James. Jovan Buha highlighted this point on a recent episode of Buha's Block.
"They underperformed offensively," Buha told his viewers. "I can't help but feel that is partly, if not largely, on JJ and the coaching staff."
The Lakers insider highlighted 'the inability to consistently run offense, run sets, ... unlock a two-man game between LeBron and Luka' as issues for Redick and his group. Buha believed there were plenty of wasted opportunities in terms of the mismatches that could have been created.
The reporter from The Athletic then rightly pointed out that what resulted from this, in the first-round series against the Timberwolves, was the Lakers offense devolving into too much isolation basketball. This should be easy to recall for most.
Fourth quarters, in particular, featured plenty of standing around and watching Doncic at the top trying to create. While it is not unfair to fall back on wanting your superstar point guard to lead the charge in crunch time, the lack of off-ball movement and overall offensive action was puzzling.
Doncic creates plenty of gravity, shifting defenses with his offensive attack. However, that plan is far less effective when the pieces around him are not doing enough to create their own openings.
James, in particular, should be one of the people that is benefitting most from Doncic's presence. Given the point in which LeBron finds himself in his career, it is the first real time when there is clearly a much bigger offensive threat on his team.
With defenses being forced to focus in on Doncic as the biggest threat on the court, creating openings for James should be a focal point for easy offense. Redick will need more pick-and-rolls and offensive sets aiming to capitalize on the gift that is having his two superstars in 2025-26.
