What JJ Redick can learn from Darvin Ham mistake with starting lineup

Despite making minimal changes to the roster, the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for something of a factory reset during the 2024-25 season. The hiring of JJ Redick marked the dawn of a new era in Los Angeles, with a culture change and a shift in on-court philosophy just over the horizon.

If there's one thing that Redick must ensure he doesn't pick up from previous head coach Darvin Ham, it's the glaring mistake he made with the starting lineup.

Ham and the Lakers were one of the most inconsistent teams in the NBA in 2023-24. They finished the season on a high note at 23-10, but were 24-25 before that run and balanced winning the In-Season Tournament with a first round exit in the playoffs.

Compounded by locker room tension that undoubtedly impacted the on-court product, the Lakers never sustainably realized their full potential as a team.

If Redick wants to avoid that same outcome, then it all starts with how he manages his starting lineup. A season ago, the Lakers couldn't seem to land on a group that would lead it on a nightly basis—and injuries weren't as much to blame as they might seem.

Injuries prevented the Lakers from building adequate depth, but the problems with the starting five boil down to coaching decisions that cost the team dearly.

JJ Redick must compile a consistent starting lineup

In 2023-24, the trio of Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, and D'Angelo Russell all appeared in at least 76 games. LeBron James played 71, while Rui Hachimura appeared in 68 and Taurean Prince missed just four outings.

Despite the general availability of Los Angeles' top six players in minutes per game, 12 different Lakers started games for Ham last season.

A primary reason for that inconsistency was Ham's decision to bench several key players for extended periods of time. Hachimura came off the bench on 29 different occasions, while Reaves played as a reserve for 25 games and Russell did the same for seven.

Prince and Cam Reddish started a combined 75 games during that time, with several others rotated in and out of the lineup without any semblance of a sustainable strategy.

Max Christie started seven times, averaging 23.4 minutes per game during those outings—yet dropped to a mere 13.0 minutes per appearance as a reserve. It's perhaps the best example of how the constant changes to the rotation hurt the Lakers in the long run.

Even when a player was given a chance to start, it wasn't utilized as an opportunity to earn bigger minutes. It was just a stopgap solution to a self-inflicted wound.

In 2024-25, Redick must treat his rotation with more care and remember the human element that comes with inconsistent playing time. It can completely derail a player's momentum, discourage them when they're trying to overcome inconsistency, and awkwardly disrupt team chemistry.

If Redick repeats Ham's mistakes in 2023-24, his first season will be all but doomed. If he treats his rotation with a more delicate approach, however, the Lakers can achieve their full potential.

At the very least, it can prevent an unnecessary hurdle from being thrown in front of Los Angeles at every turn.