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LA Lakers rookie coach JJ Redick faces considerable pressure entering his first season on the sidelines. When asked about the unforgiving nature of his new line of work, Redick jokingly acknowledged that his coaching tenure could be short-lived if LA underperforms.
While the Lakers remain arguably the NBA's most prestigious franchise, they have struggled to find a long-term coach over the past decade-plus. Since Hall of Famer Phil Jackson's second LA coaching stint ended in 2011, no coach has lasted more than three seasons. Since then, the organization has cycled through seven coaches, including Redick.
On Thursday, Redick was asked whether he "had any pause at all because of the seemingly short shelf life coaches tend to have in the league now." However, according to the former 15-year NBA veteran, such a thought never crossed his mind during his coaching interview process.
"It didn't register at all," Redick said.
Afterward, Redick quipped about the prospects of him following in his recent predecessors' undesirable footsteps.
"I'll probably get fired someday," Redick said.
However, he added that despite his apparent long-shot odds of lasting with the Lakers long-term, he is optimistic he can do so.
"Chances are. [But] I hope not," Redick said.
JJ Redick is tasked with helping LA improve upon last year's seventh-place Western Conference finish (47-35) with essentially the same LeBron James and Anthony Davis-led roster. He has been praised for his attention to detail, structure and accountability amid his attempt to revamp the Lakers' playstyle during training camp and the preseason.
However, it remains to be seen if Redick's coaching adjustments will be enough to help LA take a noticeable step in the competitive West. The Lakers, 2-3 in exhibition play, will tip off the regular season on Tuesday when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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JJ Redick says Lakers are ready for 2024-25 NBA regular season
Despite LA's lackluster preseason record, JJ Redick is confident in his squad's readiness for the regular season.
Following Tuesday's 111-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas, Redick touched on the positives he took away from the matchup.
"We're ready. Just continue to build trust with what we're doing," Redick said. "... Our off-ball roles were very clear, they are very clear. We practiced that, we worked on it again today. ... I thought our guys, when they were in lock and trail and chasing and following our off-ball screening rules, they did a really nice job."
However, he noted that the Lakers will "continue to clean up some stuff in the transition defense."
Redick and Co. conclude exhibition play on Friday with a rematch against Golden State at Chase Center.
