5 Players who benefit most from Lakers hiring head coach JJ Redick

LeBron James

The obvious selection here is the player whom many believe influenced the decision to hire JJ Redick. Whether or not LeBron James had a say in it, the Los Angeles Lakers have clearly hired Redick with James in mind.

Even at 39 years of age, James is still an All-NBA talent who performs at a level that most players 10 years his younger could only dream of—and Redick wants to maximize his remaining abilities.

One of the key elements of what Redick wants to do on offense is to utilize James in more of an off-ball role. He'll still score and facilitate on a consistent basis, of course, but taking some of the pressure off of the four-time MVP would be a massive step in the right direction.

James plays at an extraordinary level when he's healthy, but it's fair to question if the demanding nature of his current role plays a factor in his missing at least 26 games in four of the past six seasons.

It's worth noting that James shot a career-best 41.0 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24. That includes a ridiculous mark of 47.3 percent on catch-and-shoot three-point field goals to 33.6 percent on pull-ups.

If the Lakers are going to utilize James more as a pick-and-roll dive man and off-ball shooter, then he could stay healthy and conserve his energy for when the playoffs roll around.

That would be the best case scenario for both James and the Lakers.