Lakers News: JJ Redick Seemingly Takes Shot at Darvin Ham's Offense

L.A.'s new head coach has a new plan of attack for 2024-25.
Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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During a recentinterview, new Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick appeared to (indirectly) take a pot shot at the coaching strategies (or lack thereof) employed his predecessor at the position, fellow former NBA wing Darvin Ham.

While sitting in with former ESPN coworkers Doris Burke and Mark Jones (h/t to Lakers All Day Everyday for the clip), Redick singled out the seemingly "random" offenseive sets Ham would occasionally (fine, frequently) run in his two-year tenure with the club. During that time, Ham led the club to a 90-74 overall record and a pair of playoff appearances, including one win. In 2022-23, Ham helped guide the Lakers all the way to a Western Conference Finals berth.

Redick explained exactly what the issue with Ham's so-called random offense was.

“If you look at the efficiency numbers when you look at [the Lakers] playing ‘random’ vs in sets, the sets had a higher efficiency,” Redick opined.

Redick has already mentioned plans to modernize the way Los Angeles handles its offense in 2024-25. Los Angeles general manager/team president Rob Pelinka's selection of former Tennessee Volunteers sharpshooting guard Dalton Knecht seems to suggest Pelinka is at least on board with Redick's thinking, which appears to place a newfound emphasis on three point shooting off the catch and more read-and-react behavior, which Redick has allowed to in his past pressers.

L.A. has made no moves of any significance in free agency, outside of allowing former reserve forward Taurean Prince to walk and re-signing rarely-used restricted shooting guard Max Christie.

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Alex Kirschenbaum

ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Basketball is Alex's favorite sport, he likes the way they dribble up and down the court.