Things appeared to get heated on the sidelines during the Lakers‘ 129-101 win over the Warriors. In a viral video, Luka Doncic and head coach JJ Redick can be seen having an animated exchange on the sidelines. It was only a brief moment, but enough to spark speculation of animosity that Lakers officials recently denied.
“I checked into this with people around the league and within the team,” reported ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on NBA Today. “A league source said, when he said the video: ‘L.A. is different. The smallest thing becomes the biggest thing.’ A source close to Luka told me that he and JJ have a strong close relationship that dates back nearly a decade, and they’re both fiercely competitive and they push one another. A team source said ‘Find me a star in the NBA that isn’t frustrated amidst a three-game losing streak.’ It’s much ado about nothing. If you have been around an NBA basketball team full of people who live for competition, sometimes it gets a little messy when they’re trying to go towards a common goal.”
Some say that Luka’s spat with Redick is actually a sign of a healthy relationship, but that’s not what it looked like on the surface. With frustration at an all-time high amid mounting losses, tensions were boiling over, and the Lakers appeared to collapse from within. Right away, fans theorized a potential budding rivalry between Doncic and his head coach that would have split the locker room.
Fortunately, every source from the inside says that’s unlikely to happen. Doncic doesn’t just tolerate Redick; he trusts him to help maximize his game, as their relationship goes way back. Now that they are working together in an official capacity, the stakes are higher, and that means they will clash when the team isn’t playing up to standards.
As for Redick’s future, we already know his job is secure. He recently signed a multi-year extension and has earned the full trust of Rob Pelinka after leading the team to 50 wins in his very first season. Even at sixth in the West, the Lakers are currently on pace for a similar performance this season if they can find some consistency to finish out the season.
After months of countless injuries and changing rotations, the Lakers must find some stability to have any hope of a long playoff run this year. That means, among other things, Luka and Redick will have to be on the same page when it matters the most. The Lakers aren’t worried yet, but that could change if there are any more sideline antics between now and the playoffs.
