D'Angelo Russell's response to JJ Redick will decide his Lakers future
It'd be a fool's errand to debate the talent level of Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell. When he's on his game, Russell can go on the type of run that rivals even the most productive and efficient players at his position.
Unfortunately, eight games into the 2024-25 regular season, Russell has struggled to display the form that helped him overcome trade rumors in 2023-24.
Russell has thus far averaged 12.0 points, 5.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal, and 1.8 three-point field goals made on .375/.292/.941 shooting. It's been a brutal start to the season for one of the best shooters in the NBA, with his most recent showing being the most alarming to date.
Russell played a season-low 22 minutes during the Lakers' 131-114 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies—and head coach JJ Redick was brutally honest in his reasoning for benching his All-Star point guard.
"Just level of compete, attention to detail, some of the things we've talked with him about for a couple of weeks. And at times, he's been really good with that stuff. And other times, it's just reverting back to certain habits. But it wasn't like a punishment. It just felt for us to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take."
Redick was deliberate in the way he described the situation, ensuring that it was made clear that Russell was not being punished—but the pressure is now on the 28-year-old to improve.
How will D'Angelo Russell respond to JJ Redick's criticism?
The Lakers have been uncharacteristically poor from beyond the arc, routinely struggling to knock down open shots. Russell has been the most puzzling example of that flaw, as he's shooting 29.2 percent from distance and 25.8 percent on catch-and-shoot threes.
He's burying an adequate 35.3 percent of his pull-up threes, but when asked to play without the ball, his efficiency has been on a sharp decline.
Some of this can be attributed to the fact that the Lakers have changed offensive systems and are looking to create more off-ball action than under the previous regime. Adjusting to a new style of play takes time, and an eight-game sample size is woefully insufficient.
It's also worth noting that Russell knocked down 41.5 percent of his three-point field goals in 2023-24 and converted 39.6 percent of his attempts the season prior.
Talent isn't the issue here, but instead the matter of how Russell will react to Redick's coaching style. Redick's honesty is refreshing to some, but this was a risky tactic that could backfire as far as how his point guard processes a public call-out of this nature.
Redick praised Russell for for showing signs of progress, but any time a player is called out through the media, there's reason to be skeptical of how they'll react.
For Russell in specific, he's coming off of a two-year period during which he and former head coach Darvin Ham struggled to see eye-to-eye. This will be the first major test of the relationship between Redick and Russell, and could play a direct role in how the future plays out.
If Russell responds favorably, it would go a long way toward helping him escape the trade rumors and emerge as a long-term fit in Los Angeles.
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