Woike’s latest on JJ Lakers JJ Redick looks on from the bench during a preseason game. (Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images) LAS VEGAS--Hey everyone, this is Dan Woike and welcome back to The Times’ Lakers Newsletter, a chance for me to shoot straight, unlike the Lakers did in Las Vegas. Before we get into this week’s check-in, allow me a moment to vent. The worst person in the world is the person who decided to put the low limit blackjack tables squarely between the casino bar and the hotel elevators. Whoever you are or were, just know that you’re a monster. Anyways… Talk talk The general sense around the Lakers under JJ Redick was that the team wouldn’t find themselves in a situation where they weren’t prepared. Redick is, in a bit of a defining characteristic, an obsessive. And as he prepared to take on the challenge of coaching in the NBA, Redick’s mind darted through all kinds of scenarios including the shifting role from player to coach. “I thought about that a lot,” he said before Tuesday’s game in Vegas. On one hand, players generally love habit and repetition. They like to find their right routine and stick with it. As a pro, Redick was incredibly deliberate in his approach. But coaching requires flexibility, the ability to turn left at a blink when maybe the plan was originally to go in a different direction. The solution to this, of course, is communication. “I’ve had a strategy behind that even though it’s preseason. I think you just have to communicate. I think that’s the biggest thing. Guys thrive when there’s communication and it’s clear,” Redick said. “Whether that’s being clear about what the goals are this week, what the schedule is in terms of what we’re emphasizing. I’ve laid that out for the guys. Going into a game, I’ve communicated with every player about what their playing time is going to look like. I’m not saying that we’re going to do that for all 82 games. You do get into a little bit of a rhythm. “But just the communication piece is huge and I always appreciated it as a player.” Warriors coach Steve Kerr had a similar approach, a tentpole of his plan when he took the Warriors job in 2014. “I think it helps if you were a former player and it really helps if you weren’t that good of a former player, too. I know how everybody is feeling on the bench and that’s a big part of this job — communicating with guys who aren’t playing as much. Maybe don’t quite understand what’s happening,” Kerr said. “I think it’s important to maybe over-communicate, let everyone know what the role is and what’s expected of them. ... As a former player, you want to know. You want to know why. In the old days, they didn’t tell us why. I think these days, you better. You better tell them why because it’s a different era. A different time. There are different expectations. All kinds of pressure on these guys, us, the team. “I just think knowing that and having experienced that as a player, it does help kinda prepare you for what you need to do.” The conversations don’t have to be the kind of high-level stuff Redick made a broadcasting career on the back of. Sometimes, it can just be simple, straightforward reinforcement. “He just says go play, whatever, go shoot,” rookie Dalton Knecht said. “If you’re gonna be open, shoot it. And then if not, drive to the rim, shoot, try to get a layup or dish out for a three for another teammate.” Knecht floor Dalton Knecht reacts after making a three-point shot during a preseason game. (John Locher / Associated Press) I was speaking to a scout before the Lakers game Tuesday and he was saying how in the preseason, there’s just really one thing he’s looking for: Whether or not a young player looks like he belongs. Through four games, Dalton Knecht has passed that test. And because of that, he sure seems like a lock for real minutes Tuesday when the Lakers open their season against Minnesota. So far this preseason, he’s led the Lakers in minutes, points and shot attempts. And if that holds to the regular season, something has really gone wrong. Still, Redick said the Knecht that’s been on the floor in the preseason is the one he expects come Tuesday and beyond. “In terms of his role and how he’s played, like, that’s who he is,” Redick said. “Like, we’re going to run stuff for him. He’s going to benefit from playing with LeBron and AD. He’s another guy who [when] we’ve asked him to do something, Dalton will crash. He’s been awesome. He’s got eight offensive rebounds over the last two games. He’s a natural cutter. He fits in our system.”
love to hear that. if you play with lebron (and dlo) and can both shoot and know how and when to move without the ball, there will be opportunities.
Hard to judge from preseason but JJ seems to Have won the team over early which is good. Still don’t love our hiring process here but definitely am rooting hard for his success.
Interesting. Cranjis started off VERY conservative with his impressions after Game 1 if I recall, of what JJ had them doing on the floor. To THIS four pre-season games later, "Here's what percentage of games the Organized Offense Rate of the 5 Lakers preseason games so far ranks higher than among Ham's entire tenure + these games: G1: 93% G2: 84% G3: 99% G4: 98% G5: 100% JJ is here to bring us to the promised land" Seems to me we have a similar, if not bigger win, than the drafting of Dalton Knecht at 17 .... in the way outside the box hiring of JJ Redick as our next coach. However the optics on it and method looked. Screw all that. If there was word from Woj being floated that Hurley was interested they HAD to take a look at it and make an offer. They made a good offer for an untested in the pros college coach IMO .... especially after the vibes from his wife in the interview a day earlier who they could tell wasn't down with moving.
To have a modern, progressive coach who is willing to implement new ideas that are working elsewhere. What a wild and refreshing concept.
Not to mention having a super smart about Xs and Os quick thinking professional communicator who’s not going to say the same stuff over and over in the huddles.
Dave McMenamin @mcten Max Christie on starting 17-19 last year and 2-10 in ‘22-23: “We're aware of our slow starts in the past few years and that's not something that we're gonna do this year. JJ made a point that we're not gonna ease into the season whatsoever. So we're going into it guns blazing” 12:32 PM · Oct 22, 2024 · 57.8K Views
The season is about to kick off!!! All that blah,blah,blah is irrelevant now, show me something! Let's go win some damn games!! Go Lakers!
Yeah I'm not considering Vando anymore. It's like he's out of the roster. If he, at some point, gets healthy it will feel like getting someone in the waiver wire midseason. Gotta make it work without him
We run a lot of plays now, that’s all a lot of us ever wanted. So far there’s not a lot to complain about
He raised their intensity, attention to detail, got them to give a damn about rebounds (let go of the rope a little in the second half), unlocked Rui, has them moving the ball and is showcasing AD. Looks good. Found a spot for Bron and Jr that didn't derail the game. Missed a lot of 3s but the level of competition is what you want to see. It helps when you see your coach engaged on the sideline. No hands in pockets. He's out there working the refs, you can see the F bombs, hear the clapping, and even a little back and forth with Ant
