Lakers' JJ Redick Shuts Down Charles Barkley Criticism, 'Literally Don't Care'

The first-year head coach had a biting take on the Hall of Fame power forward's recent comments.

Jan 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) walks past head coach JJ Redick during a time out against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

First-year Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had a biting take on recent comments made by Hall of Fame power forward-turned-Emmy-winning broadcaster Charles Barkley.

During a Thursday evening "NBA On TNT" broadcast of a Minnesota Timberwolves-Boston Celtics matchup (Boston won by a possession, 118-115), Barkley went in on Redick, warning him that he would eventually be let go by L.A.'s front office despite the club being limited by said front office's own personnel moves.

“You can’t hide them flaws they got. You just a dead man walking,” Barkley said (h/t to Chuck Schilken of The Los Angeles Times for the transcript). “They got rid of Frank Vogel, who did a good job. They got rid of Darvin Ham, who did a good job. You came out there thinking you were gonna change things with that same ugly girl you went on the date with.”

Vogel led the Lakers to a title during his first season in town, 2019-20. He was ultimately let go after just three seasons, when some disastrous maneuvering for an ancient, veteran-laden roster caused the club to crater to a 33-49 record in 2021-22.

Ham lasted just two seasons, despite leading Los Angeles to a surprise Western Conference Finals berth during his first year with the franchise, 2022-23.

Redick has the Lakers looking solid with a 20-14 record on the year, good for the Western Conference's No. 4 seed. That's a credit, in part, to the front office making some critical tweaks.

Los Angeles team vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka has made some savvy moves since the summer, selecting All-Rookie Team contender Dalton Knecht with just the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and more recently trading three second round picks, little-used forward Maxwell Lewis, and D'Angelo Russell's expiring contract to the Brooklyn Nets for veteran wings Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, both of whom have already greatly helped shore up the team's depth.

“He came in there thinking, ‘I can make this thing work.’ Hell you can. Put some makeup on that pig. The Lakers stink, man. Come on man,” Barkley said. “We’re the reason ratings are down. We the reason, like we playing. … Hey, listen, if me and Shaq played, the ratings would be down. But in fairness, if me and Shaq played, we’d be like the third or fourth best players on that Laker team right now. ‘Chuck, get in the game! Shaq, get in the game!’ Damn bombs out there. But it’s Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham’s fault.”

Prior to the Lakers' Friday home night victory against the Atlanta Hawks — their second straight win in a back-to-back slate of games — Redick was asked about Barkley's comments by attendant reporters.

“I read a random text from somebody after the game,” Redick said, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “I went to look at my phone and it says something about Charles Barkley. And I’m like, ‘Huh?’ … I didn’t make it all the way through the clip, I gotta be honest with you. My resting heart rate is probably 64. I watched the clip, it was 64. Literally don’t care. I have other thoughts, but don’t care.”

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