The Los Angeles Lakers have turned to JJ Redick to change the culture, modernize the offense, and transition from one superstar to another as the team's focal point. In his very first season as a head coach, Redick has effectively been tasked with redefining the identity of the Lakers organization.
11 games can only tell us so much about how that process is going, but the early reports about Redick's impact on the Lakers are nothing short of exhilarating.
Redick has acted without any semblance of hesitation, putting his stamp on the Lakers both on and off the court. During that time, he's embraced the player empowerment movement by enabling his team to make their voice heard as a new identity is established in Los Angeles.
According to Dave McMenamin and Matt Williams of ESPN, Redick has implemented a system of accountability that the players have not only embraced, but contributed to.
"Redick and his coaching staff introduced the team identity they expected on both ends of the floor, sources told ESPN. The discussion was then opened to the players to establish team values. Some of the points of emphasis, sources told ESPN, included:
- Respecting one another's time.
- Playing for the same, common goal.
- Expecting elite execution night to night, no matter who is in or out of the lineup.
- Being efficient in everything, from shot selection for the players to time management from the coaches.
- Dominating the details, whether it's the angle a screen is set on offense or the timing of blitzing a pick-and-roll on defense."
McMenamin and Williams report continued with a compelling quote from a team source:
"These were our nonnegotiables. Come hell or high water, we will go back to this as a team."
That's a remarkably intriguing development in Los Angeles, with perhaps the most important development from McMenamin and Williams' report being found in an additional quote: "There was no gray area."
JJ Redick incorporated players into establishing new Lakers culture
The NBA has undergone a monumental shift in its general nature over the past 10-to-15 years. Most are well aware of what's been described as an era of empowerment, with free agency and player movement taking on a new life.
Some have argued that it began when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined Paul Pierce with the Boston Celtics, thus making way for Chris Bosh and LeBron James to team with Dwyane Wade on the Miami Heat.
The rest is history, with superteams becoming the defining characteristic of the NBA for the better part of a decade. The Association has moved toward preventing teams from building with that structure, but the overall conversation must not be lost in translation.
Players have been empowered both on and off the court to take control of their own destiny—and a successful head coach must understand the new power dynamics.
Whether fans and coaches like it or not, players' voices are being heard louder than ever before. As such, navigating the new terrain requires a head coach to be able to put their ego aside and understand that the locker room dynamic has changed.
Redick has the unique perspective of playing 15 years in the NBA, with a vast majority of that time transpiring during the beginning, peak, and arguable end result of the player empowerment era.
After retiring in 2021, Redick continued to make his presence felt as an analyst—at every step highlighting the importance of the evolution of players as people and athletes. It's still early, but in his first season as a head coach, that perspective appears to be his most valuable attribute.
There are tests ahead of Redick and the Lakers that could make or break the team's season, but he's already passed perhaps the most important test of all: Connecting with the modern athlete and creating a culture of accountability that they respond to.