JJ Redick proving to be a man of his word in first season as Lakers head coach

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a stretch that has effectively erased their championship-caliber start to the season. After going 3-0 with wins over three postseason-caliber opponents, Los Angeles went 1-4 on a five-game road trip to bring their record to .500 at 4-4.

While it's far too soon to panic, Redick is putting his money where his mouth is and holding his team accountable in the way Los Angeles swore to heading into the season.

Los Angeles' three wins were against teams that all won at least 46 games in 2023-24: The Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings. Los Angeles then jumped out to an 18-point lead in a rematch with the Suns, but squandered that advantage and ultimately dropped their first game of the season.

The next time out, the Lakers might as well have stayed in California, as the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the first quarter and never looked back during a 134-110 decimation.

The Lakers regained some of their momentum with a 131-125 win over the Toronto Raptors that pushed their record to 4-2. Unfortunately, the concerns over Los Angeles' erratic play during the victory carried into losses to the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.

The steady theme throughout each of those losses was a lack of consistent energy and attention to detail—and Redick is holding the Lakers accountable for their flaws.

JJ Redick called Lakers out for exactly what they'd done wrong

Following the loss to the Grizzlies, Redick was asked by reporters for his thoughts on the outing. He praised LeBron James for the 39 points and steady intensity he provided, applauding the fact that a nearly 40-year-old player could still set the tone for his team.

One player who wasn't as widely praised was D'Angelo Russell, whom Redick benched during the lopsided loss in Memphis.

Russell played 22 minutes against the Grizzlies, shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 2-of-9 from beyond the arc. He finished with 12 points, three assists, one rebound, and two steals, but his production did little to quell the consistent concerns.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Redick explained that he benched Russell for regressing to the inconsistent displays of intensity that held him back in previous seasons.

"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."

Los Angeles has been claiming that accountability will be a crucial aspect of the 2024-25 season, and Redick is now proving that will be the case.

Russell has struggled throughout the 2024-25 regular season. Redick is refusing to show patience if his All-Star point guard isn't going to provide the effort to justify an investment in improvement. Thankfully, a silver lining appeared.

With Russell on the bench, and Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura sidelined by injury and illness, the second unit responded to its critics. It combined for 33 points, with Cam Reddish scoring 15 and Max Christie tallying eight points, three rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 19 minutes.

There's no guarantee that Redick's post-game comments or in-game decisions will change the course of the Lakers' season, but this is a promising step in the right direction—loss or otherwise.