The Lakers didn’t do any splashy moves this summer, but they did double down on their two most important people who will be at the center of all the success — or failures — that will be happening in LA: Luka Dončić and JJ Redick.
Los Angeles made it clear that we are in the Luka era, signing Dončić to a three-year, $165-million extension this offseason.
Then the Lakers made an even longer commitment to their head coach.
LA signed Redick to an extension this summer, a shocking revelation Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka made during his media availability prior to the start of training camp.
Now, Luka and Redick will be tied together as the franchise enters this new era. The synergy between a superstar player and head coach is necessary for success.
Currently, things are as good as ever between the duo.
“I think the stability is amazing,” Luka said at media day. “It was great to work with JJ. Hopefully, we can work until the end of my career. I just love him as my coach. He will tell you anything. He will tell you if you did something wrong, if you did something good. Just approach to the game with him, it’s unbelievable so I’m very excited that he’s my coach.”
Loving a coach who wants to tell you what you might not want to hear is a great quality to have. Beyond his words, Luka has demonstrated that he is fond of Redick.
He made an appearance on his podcast back in the day, and that was not a thing Luka had to do. Whenever an NBA player is willing to talk to any media in a non-required setting, it’s a sign they, at the very least, respect them highly.
With these two on the same page and signed long-term, Luka’s desire for Redick to be his coach the rest of the way is a possibility.
If they remain on the same page and committed, they’ll have every opportunity for success and championships here in Los Angeles for years to come.
