Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick began the 2024-25 regular season facing the first of many tests to come. Before he could even concern himself with trying to win a game, Redick needed to be proactive and save his locker room.
Thankfully, Redick made the right decision—even if critics were more concerned with the impact it had on just three minutes of the regular season.
Entering the regular season opener, the Lakers were faced with the question of how Bronny James would figure into Redick's rotation. The question was based less in concern over the long-term strategy and more on the history that would be made once he debuted.
Redick wasted little time getting out in front of the narrative, playing Bronny and LeBron James in the second quarter of the Lakers' season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
History witnessed. pic.twitter.com/2s1E1xFcFz
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 23, 2024
The younger James played three minutes alongside his father, received a strong ovation from the Lakers faithful, and then Redick moved on with his game plan.
JJ Redick just saved the Lakers from an inevitable Bronny disaster
It was a surreal moment to see Bronny and LeBron James playing alongside one another in an NBA game. It's the first time in Association history that a father and son shared the court, and MLB's own duo of Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. were courtside to see it happen.
The Lakers posted a plus-minus of minus-three during those minutes, and Redick quickly shifted back to looking at the bigger picture.
The story could end there, but many were upset that James saw minutes at a time when the Lakers were building positive momentum against the Timberwolves. They'd gotten out to a double-digit lead and the criticism was that Bronny James' presence stalled their progress.
If that's the cost of playing James in the opener, then so be it—as Redick just saved every player on the roster from facing the distraction of fans and media members asking when James will debut.
That alone would be frustrating to endure as a player, as it would mean that their minutes would be docked at an undisclosed time in James' favor. It'd also likely result in narratives forming that the 20-year-old, having not played yet, might be a better option than a teammate who's struggling.
The Lakers can't afford to feed that narrative when one considers the fact that the backcourt is an areas in which the team has a degree of uncertainty.
Starting point guard D'Angelo Russell has been involved in trade rumors, while backup Gabe Vincent appeared in just 11 games in 2023-24. Austin Reaves is a lock as the starter at shooting guard, but Max Christie and rookie wing Dalton Knecht still have a lot to prove.
Faced with this reality, Redick welcomed the early criticism in favor of preserving the integrity of his long-term vision. In that moment, he passed his first test as Lakers head coach.