It is not uncommon for teams to initially struggle after a new head coach enters the picture. The Los Angeles Lakers have endured a mediocre overall 2024-25 season under new head coach JJ Redick, as the team is just 13-12 as of this story's writing. Redick has received backlash from some fans and analysts, though, as he had never coached a team before in the NBA.
The Lakers ultimately made the decision to hire Redick after moving on from Darvin Ham. Rumors immediately began to swirl about Redick joining the Lakers after he started a podcast with LeBron James. Sure enough, he took over the head coaching job a few months later.
The debate about whether or not LA was right to hire Redick is an entirely different discussion. In the end, the team made this decision and they must live with the results. Now that Redick is the Lakers' head coach, LA needs to be patient. There is one specific reason why Los Angeles should not give up on Redick anytime soon.
Lakers need to let JJ Redick learn how to coach in the NBA
As mentioned, the Lakers decided to hire a former player-turned-analyst with no NBA coaching experience. Now, LA should not be quick to give up on him. In fact, everyone around the NBA probably knew Redick was going to receive backlash unless the Lakers had a dominant start to the season.
NBA rookies do not always play especially well in their first seasons. In fact, it takes some players a couple of years to find their footing in the league. Redick is still learning how to coach. Of course, there is added pressure to win with LeBron James, who will turn 40 years old soon, on the roster.
The reality of the situation is that Redick has done a respectable job. It isn't as if LA is 10 games under .500. They currently have a winning record. Sure, LA unquestionably must play with more consistency. It takes some teams longer than others to find their rhythm, though.
With a good trade or two, the Lakers may be able to make some noise in the Western Conference with JJ Redick leading the way. With that being said, Los Angeles must remain patient with Redick even if LA's 2024-25 season does not go according to plan. In other words, the Lakers should not fire Redick even if they fail to reach the postseason this year.
Developing chemistry between players and the head coach requires time. Sometimes, it takes a few months, while other times it may require a year or two.
The reason the Lakers shouldn't give up on JJ Redick isn't overly-complicated. No, it's not a specific in-game strategy or certain style of play reason. Rather, it comes down to letting him learn how to coach in the NBA. After all, the Lakers made the decision to hire him, so giving him time to figure things out is important.