Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick has withheld no thoughts or feelings about how Luka Doncic can best help his team win. That's most recently taken shape with Redick stating that Doncic needs to, "Trust the pass," which inevitably garnered a divided response from fans and analysts.
NBA insider and analyst Tim MacMahon recently weighed in on the subject during an episode of The Hoop Collective with the context some have overlooked: Doncic's offensive approach directly impacts his teammates' defensive effort.
Doncic is the epitome of polarizing on the offensive end of the floor. He's a generational talent who has already led teams to two deep playoff runs, including a trip to the 2024 NBA Finals, but he's also a ball-dominant orchestrator who can dribble out the clock more often than the average player.
During a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, MacMahon weighed in on Redick's comments and offered his opinion that the Lakers' supporting players need offensive touches to remain engaged on defense.
"JJ Redick is talking about, 'Luka has gotta trust the pass.' He's not worried about offensive strategy. Because guess what? Luka ball-hogging is good offensive strategy, it's efficient offense. He's worried about: If the ball's not moving, if guys aren't involved...it does just completely sap their energy on defense. Luka's passing impacts their defense, not necessarily their offense."
It's a matter of keeping teammates engaged and out of their own heads more so than skill or ability, and as Redick himself has described it, it: "Goes back to the human element of everything."
Getting involved on offense helps players stay engaged on defense
Los Angeles is perhaps more susceptible to the reality that MacMahon outlines than most. Though there are several quality defenders on the roster, Marcus Smart, who's 31 and on the other side of two injury-devastated seasons, is one of the few top-tier defenders on the roster.
Being an elite defender is an admittedly high standard to meet, but the Lakers have built their roster with players who aren't exactly known for a high level of consistent effort on defense.
Even if they were, the notion of offensive involvement leading to defensive engagement is far from a new idea. Even low-volume offensive players are typically given a consistent role that allows them to play a part that isn't limited to waiting for a pass to come their way.
Whether that includes screening, crashing the offensive glass, or simply operating as a piece of the connective tissue of a broader effort to score, they're made to feel as though they matter.
Lakers rank near bottom of the NBA in several key involvement areas
When an offense runs so heavily through one ISO-based player, however, there's only so much for their teammates to do. When there are three different players who fit that description—as is the case with Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves—the issue is magnified.
That's been on clear display in 2025-26, as all three of Doncic, James, and Reaves have usage rates of 27.1 or higher. The Lakers inevitably rank No. 27 in passes made per game.
Los Angeles is also No. 26 in secondary assists and No. 29 in both potential assists and points created via assists per game. Perhaps most indicative of the tunnel vision on offense: The Lakers are dead last in distance traveled on the offensive end of the floor at 8.80. They're the only team in the NBA below 9.00.
Considering the Lakers are also No. 25 in defensive rating, it would seem as though MacMahon and Redick are onto something.