The Lakers didn’t have the finish they wanted, but that hasn’t changed Rob Pelinka’s view on JJ Redick.
It’s hard to consider a season in which the Lakers flamed out in the first round a success, but it was.
With rookie head coach JJ Redick at the helm, the Lakers won 50 games and secured an automatic spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Perhaps this is why, during president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka’s exit interview, he reinforced his commitment toward Redick after an early postseason exit.
“This season was full of some exciting things that we really need to lean into for our future,” Pelinka said. “One is the coach sitting next to me. JJ brought just a complete revival of energy and incredibly hard work ethic, attention to detail, a spirit to our team, to our group, to our franchise as a rookie coach that we haven’t seen in a long time.
“Our level of confidence, my level of confidence, couldn’t be higher. He’s a great partner to work with. He’s an incredible basketball mind. I know that every year for him will be things to celebrate and learning lessons. That’s just who he is. That’s exciting for the Lakers, for our fanbase and for our future.”
While Redick made some mistakes in the Lakers-Wolves series, he was far from the biggest reason they lost. Ultimately, the Lakers themselves admitted that the Wolves were the better team.
This was Redick’s first year coaching, and he knows he can “get a lot better.” If the things people around the organization and the league say about Redick’s work ethic are true, he will undoubtedly improve next season and beyond.
Redick’s already a pretty good coach and came in sixth in Coach of the Year voting. So while the ending might’ve frustrated some Lakers fans during the playoffs with his decision-making, it’s important to remember that throughout his first season as coach of the Lakers, there were more good times than bad.
With backing from Pelinka, a couple of superstars and a full summer to work with the front office to build a contender, the best is yet to come, not just for this franchise but for Redick himself. Fans just need to trust the process.
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