The Lakers’ head coaching box has been checked — again.
JJ Redick was formally introduced on Monday, when one of the weirder coaching searches you’ll ever see ended with the very outcome that so many predicted at its outset. That’s seven coaches in the 13 years since Phil Jackson departed in 2011 — eight if you count Bernie Bickerstaff’s five-game tenure in an interim role — and a whole lot of pressure coming Redick’s way after he decided to make his first coaching job one of the most high-profile positions in all of sports.
But as the NBA Draft nears on Wednesday, when the Lakers will finally be able to canvass the league for significant roster upgrades because of the three first-round picks at their disposal, the truth about their situation is that the latest coaching change is the least of their problems. They need more high-level talent, and they need it fast if they’re going to keep LeBron James and Anthony Davis from growing frustrated about this uncertain Lakers future ahead.
James has the leverage that comes with his forthcoming free agency, as he has until Saturday to decide whether to pick up his $51.4 million player option or opt out and sign a new deal (with the Lakers or elsewhere). Davis, meanwhile, has the organizational capital that comes with being a 31-year-old, nine-time All-Star who is signed through the 2027-28 season. And if the franchise cornerstones had their way, league sources say, the Lakers would prove their desire to win this week by going all-in for another elite player.
As of Wednesday, the Lakers will be able to trade up to three first-round picks along with whatever players they choose in a trade. But are they willing to, especially when it comes to the prospect of trading a player like Austin Reaves or Rui Hachimura, who have long since become favorites within the Lakers ownership and front office walls? Therein lies the question that will likely dictate the mood going forward.
James’ looming free agency puts him front-and-center in the Lakers’ spotlight right now, and with good reason. League sources say the 39-year-old has not given the Lakers any indication about what he will do, even if the widely held expectation around the league is that he will either return on his player option or sign a new deal. He wasn’t involved in the coaching search — never mind that it involved his podcast partner — and has made it clear that he’s in wait-and-see mode when it comes to the Lakers’ offseason business and the part it might play in his decision. If he opts out, as so many expect, don’t be surprised if he takes his time in free agency from there.
As Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has always said about this partnership, James’ happiness is the key to it all. Yet while some have surmised that James might be content coasting in these final Lakers years, enjoying all the benefits of living in Los Angeles while continuing to make his incredible mark on the league’s history books, league sources say he desperately wants to win at the highest of levels again. What’s more, James’ unprecedented play at this stage means he remains open to the prospect of playing two, or even three, more seasons before retiring.
As for the Bronny James factor, league sources say LeBron’s plans will not be impacted by where his son lands in this week’s draft. Still, it’s worth noting that the former USC guard only worked out for the Lakers (who have No. 17 and No. 55) and Phoenix (which has No. 22). The Athletic’s draft expert, Sam Vecenie, has Bronny going to the Lakers with the 55th pick in his latest mock.
But Davis’ view of the Lakers’ offseason strategy matters as much, if not more. He’s the one who is smack dab in the middle of his prime, and who represents the Lakers’ best chance at contention in the back end of this decade. And considering the lesson learned from early May, when league sources say the Lakers’ concern about how Davis viewed then-coach Darvin Ham played a part in their choice to make that change, it’s clear that his perspective carries significant weight.
To hear Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka assess the Lakers landscape at Redick’s introductory news conference on Monday was to get a glimpse of the internal dynamics at play here. He made an early reference to the Lakers’ desire to keep their payroll below the “second apron,” the highly restrictive luxury tax region that is part of the league’s latest collective bargaining agreement. Pelinka mentioned the need to “lean hard into that player development piece,” and Redick even highlighted the Lakers’ G League team which will play a pivotal part in their plan.
“If those two players are at the core of what you’re building, we like our chances,” Pelinka said. “And of course we’ll continue to have conversations as we approach free agency here, in the next week or so, of how we want to tweak or change — make roster changes — to put (the Lakers) in a competitive position built around those two players.”
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When asked by The Athletic about the prospect of using the three first-rounders to make a move this week, Pelinka downplayed the possibility.
“In this (CBA) system … some of the trades are more difficult, especially if you have a second-apron team (negotiating with) a first-apron team,” Pelinka said. “There’s a chance we’ll be in the first apron. The trades are less prevalent than they used to be. So will we look for trades that help us become a better team? Absolutely. Are those trades — do they have the same probability that they had under the old system? No, it is a different system. So we’ve got to be mindful and thoughtful around that.
“If the perfect trade comes along, and we can use picks to make it and win a championship, yeah, we’ll do it. Is that trade going to be there? I don’t know. It’s harder in this system to find perfect trades.”
Redick, in turn, emphasized the importance of depth while making it clear that adding another star wasn’t their primary focus.
“If you look at the NBA right now, the group matters more than ever,” he said. “You certainly need the stars, but the group matters more than ever. You need six, seven, eight guys, who can play minutes deep into the playoffs. The Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks, the Pacers, the Timberwolves. It wasn’t about the individual. It was about the group.”
As messaging goes, they didn’t exactly make it sound like a significant upgrade to the roster was happening anytime soon — whether it’s Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, Portland’s Jerami Grant, Charlotte’s Miles Bridges (who will be a free agent) or someone else of that ilk. Mitchell has long been seen as a premier target for the Lakers, but, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Cavaliers are optimistic that he’ll sign a $209 million extension soon. Murray, meanwhile, was a player that the Lakers could have had at the February trade deadline if they’d been willing to put Reaves into the deal. He’s a possibility now, as well, but league sources say the Lakers’ stance on Reaves remains the same.
If this is the direction they’re headed — rolling with this roster after going 47-35 last season and falling to Denver in the first round — then it will be very interesting to see what comes next. Does James still re-sign as expected, or is there any chance he explores options elsewhere for the twilight of his storied career? And what about Davis, whose appetite for title contention is driving his long-term decisions as well?
As for Redick, who will be the hire of the century if he can lead this group to the organization’s 18th title, he shared a different view when asked about the championship expectations that almost always come with this job.
“Yes, I think (the expectations are) reasonable,” Redick said. “I don’t look at the current roster as being that far off from a championship-caliber team.”
(Top photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
