As a team under constant pressure to succeed, emotions often run high when you’re on the Los Angeles Lakers. That’s why, when things aren’t going exactly like they should, the players and coaches are more prone to panic than most other teams in the league. Recently, that panic came to a head in Los Angeles during a viral moment between superstar Luka Doncic and head coach JJ Redick.
In a video that has gone viral online, the two got caught in a heated exchange that suggests not all is good in Lakerland. Today, we have new details on the moment that has sparked follow-up conversations on what, exactly, is happening behind the scenes.
JJ Redick: “What’s your problem? Huh? You pushed my hand away. What are you upset about?”
Luka Doncic: “I didn’t.”
JJ Redick: “Sit the f*ck down.”
Luka Doncic: “What? Yo!”
Luka Doncic and JJ Redick sideline interaction 👀
JJ: What’s your problem? Huh? You pushed my hand away. What are you upset about?
Luka: I didn’t
JJ: Sit the f*ck down
Luka: What? Yo!
(Via @legendz_prod) pic.twitter.com/k8LX3Redew
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 6, 2026
It’s unknown what sequence in the game caused Redick to call Luka out as he did, but the Slovenian star responded by slapping his coach’s hand away. That kind of disrespect isn’t going to fly, and that’s why Redick addressed it right then and there. Unfortunately, Luka didn’t reciprocate well, leading to Jarred Vanderbilt holding him back.
Redick was hired back in 2024, months before Luka ever played his first Lakers game. In his first few months, he worked hard to establish a certain culture for the team, ensuring an open line of communication with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After the Luka trade, Redick had to adjust, and the results have been mixed so far.
While the Purple and Gold managed to win 50 games last season, they couldn’t make it out of the first round. Now, they are on track for a similar finish despite making some notable signings over the summer. While the team has plenty of flaws, Luka himself is the source of some major problems, especially on the defensive end, where he’s known to give up easy shots to the competition.
The most worrying sign of the state of the locker room is what we saw on the sidelines against the Warriors. If Redick and Doncic can so easily turn against each other, it could explain some of their chemistry problems, and it could expose a serious lack of respect for the head coach. At the very least, it puts Redick’s long-term job security in question.
