Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers have been expressing concerns about the team’s direction as LeBron James enters the twilight of his career. While James continues to play at an elite level, there’s a growing perception that the Lakers are prioritizing his desires over making sound decisions to maintain their championship contention.
This offseason, the Lakers refrained from signing any free agents to standard contracts or making significant trades. Instead, they drafted LeBron’s son, Bronny James, in the second round of June’s NBA Draft, and hired JJ Redick, a friend and former podcast co-host of LeBron’s, as the new head coach.
Despite the unusual decisions, the Lakers sought advice from legendary Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski during their coaching search. Krzyzewski, who has previously coached both James with Team USA and Redick during his college career, offered a balanced perspective on James’ influence within the organization.
Speaking to ESPN, Krzyzewski shared his thoughts on how the Lakers should approach LeBron’s remaining years: “It was just about going into the last part of LeBron’s career, how his legacy should be intertwined with what the team is doing. I said it can’t be the only thing that you’re thinking of. But is there a way that you can help him in positioning him in different ways on offense? On defense?”
Krzyzewski also suggested that JJ Redick and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka could form a strong working relationship, having known both men for over two decades. “When I huddled up with Mike at the Chicago combine, he was like, ‘I really think you and JJ should work together. I’ve known you for over 20 years and I think you guys just see the game and see the business of basketball very similarly,'” Pelinka shared.
As for Redick’s relationship with James, Krzyzewski expressed confidence that their connection could benefit the team during the grueling NBA season. “It’s a long season. … I think they will have each other’s back, and that’s going to be essential,” Krzyzewski said. “Especially in JJ’s case. If they can keep growing that relationship, I think the players will see it too.”
While it’s too early to tell how Redick will fare as an NBA head coach, early reports from the Lakers’ training camp and preseason indicate that players are responding well to his leadership. Whether these unconventional moves will pay off for the Lakers remains to be seen, but they are clearly banking on the relationship between Redick, Pelinka, and LeBron James to guide them forward.