Old JJ Redick comments shed light on how Lakers can become offensive juggernaut

Regardless of how people feel about the hiring of JJ Redick, few dispute his knowledge of the game. Redick played a long and productive NBA career, transitioned to an analyst role that saw him evolve as an educator, and will now join the Los Angeles Lakers with the expectation of translating his success.

One of the primary reasons many are keeping an open mind despite his lack of experience is the simple fact that Redick has intriguing ideas about how to transform the Lakers' stagnant offense.

Los Angeles finished the 2023-24 season ranked No. 15 in the NBA in offensive rating. There were peaks during which the Lakers looked the part of an elite team on that end of the floor, but the general tone of the season was inconsistency across the board.

In an appearance on Hasan Minahj Doesn't Know, Redick explained what a five-out offense is meant to be—and hinted at how that might apply to the Lakers.

"I think it's a little more nuanced than just saying it's five-out. And every team is different. In the NBA, you want to maximize spacing. That's what it comes down to. So for the Denver Nuggets, they want to score in the paint. So when they go five-out, it's to get to the paint.

Redick continued:

"I think when people say, 'Oh, everybody's just spaced five-out!' And people think it's this guy going to his bag every single time and jacking a three. That's not what it is. Five-out is just a way to maximize spacing so that whatever your particular team likes to do and wants to do, and can do well, you can run different actions out of five-out."

The Lakers may or may not play five-out on offense, but Redick's recent comments about the team suggest it could be a big part of what the team does.

Five-out offense could transform Lakers into offensive juggernaut

Los Angeles was its own worst enemy on offense in 2024-25, seemingly deprioritizing areas of strength. It ranked No. 8 in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, yet made the conscious decision to shoot at such a low volume that it finished at No. 28 in three-point field goal attempts.

A five-out offense wouldn't necessarily entail that the Lakers shoot more threes, but Redick has made it clear that he wants his team to attempt outside shots with a brighter green light.

With an increased emphasis on three-point shooting, spacing will already improve—and Anthony Davis will be at the heart of what happens from there. Redick has informed Davis that he will be the hub of the offense, which makes the five-out approach even more likely.

Davis isn't necessarily known for his three-point shooting, but he buried 33.3 percent of his 2.7 attempts per game between 2017-18 and 2019-20, and has the skill to work the perimeter.

As Redick describes it, the five-out offense would not only emphasize three-point shooting, but the Lakers' ability to run any action they choose. He used the Denver Nuggets as an example, citing how their goal is to generate points in the paint.

The fact that Redick has already diagnosed how Denver manages to do so bodes well for Los Angeles' defense against its rival, as well as its own offense with Davis as a focal point.

Los Angeles has a surplus of playmakers and shot creators between Davis, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, and Gabe Vincent. It's also added shooters such as Dalton Knecht and the all-but-new Max Christie, who re-signed after previously struggling to secure sufficient playing time.

Redick's offense will be more nuanced than prioritizing a single outcome, of course, but this thorough breakdown of a five-out approach offers an intriguing insight into how the Lakers can dominate with Davis at the heart of what they do.

Any team with Davis and LeBron James already has that potential. It's up to the coach to unlock it—and Redick is saying the right things to imply he can do so.