JJ Redick needs to take care of 3 things to be Coach of the Year

Before the offseason started, some asked if JJ Redick should be given the head coaching job at the Los Angeles Lakers. He was known to be a basketball savant but lacked any experience before taking up this job. Now with the team standing pat at second in the Western Conference, the narrative has changed.

The season is not over, and the Lakers have started their toughest stretch of games. This stretch has the potential to derail the excitement they are feeling now. That is why the 40-year-old is aware the task is not complete.

Redick stated after their second win against their cross-town rivals that he does not care about the 2nd seed. He will breathe easy when the team avoids the play in spots and secures a playoff berth. That awareness though, is good, as it will keep him levelheaded even though his players are all smiles now.

Out of their remaining twenty-three games, sixteen are against solid playoff teams. If the Lakers can win a decent number of those games, they should be fine. JJ Redick is already in talks to be named Coach of the Year. To ensure it, he will have to take care of these three things.

JJ Redick has to ask players to maintain effort

One of the primary problems the Los Angeles Lakers faced in the first couple of months of their 2025 season was a lack of effort. The primary superstars would work hard to score, rebound and defend. But the other players, both starters and the bench, who looked disinterested.

In one of those games, the Denver Nuggets whooped them bad enough to the point where Redick lost his cool. He knew the team did not show any inclination of an effort and it seemed he did not know how to solve the Nuggets problem.

A little more than two months later, effort was what helped the Lakers famously defeat their Kryptonite team for the first time in more than two years. The team cannot slack off on effort even if they lose a few games. Otherwise, this run could implode, and they could nosedive back to the play in spots.

Develop game plans to maximize efficiency

There is no denying that newly acquired Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the league. But recently, he struggled with consistency. That nearly cost them two games and the Slovenian himself admitted he had to improve.

It will be a lesson for JJ Redick as the Los Angeles Lakers do not possess streaky shooters to depend on. Whenever one player is having a bad night, Redick has to ensure he keeps substituting to stay ahead in the game.

Those sixteen games will see them face team’s that are adept at throttling the Lakersg. If they struggle collectively, it will be disastrous. But if they alternatively struggle, as a team they can overcome that. That means, practice, focus and a drive to win will keep them going and for that they need their captain to keep it together.

Use easier games to avoid exhaustion

The reason JJ Redick wants to avoid the play in games is simply to do with fatigue. Teams in the play in spots have to play highly competitive games to avoid elimination. That saps a lot of energy, and his team is not one who are athletic enough to keep going.

He has a 40-year-old LeBron James playing, who needs to stay fresh for the playoffs. If he struggles with fatigue, the Los Angeles Lakers will be in deep trouble. One way Redick can avoid that is to rest him whenever the team plays inferior opponents.

Thankfully for the Lakers, those games are in between their battles against playoff teams. That window if utilized properly can pay dividends not only in the playoffs, but also in the regular season. They play the Oklahoma City Thunder twice in April.

Those battles will show how far the team has come. It will also show if JJ Redick has done enough to secure the Coach of the Year in his first-year coaching. He might not think about individual accolades, but that award will be a reflection of how his work has panned out.

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