JJ Redick’s Lakers Are Everything the Spurs Aren’t, Yet Both Teams Could Contend in the Western Conference

The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs sit in two vastly different positions in the Western Conference, but their timelines of success might just be set to cross over the next few seasons.

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ESPN analyst JJ Redick looks on before game two of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

The antithesis between the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs couldn’t be greater.

That hasn’t always been the case — the two franchises have engaged in plenty of classic matchups throughout the years — but since the Spurs stopped being shoo-ins for the Western Conference playoffs after Kawhi Leonard’s departure, Tim Duncan’s retirement and LaMarcus Aldridge’s inability to carry San Antonio back to the top of the mountain, there hasn’t been much to see.

The Lakers on the other hand, aren’t only used to the spotlight because of their flashy culture and lavish location, but they tend to demand it. Even after going nine seasons without an NBA title before conquering the COVID-19 league bubble en route to title No. 17, they were at the forefront of most of the news surrounding the world of basketball.

When Lonzo Ball was drafted to Los Angeles, he and his father added spectacle to the Lakers. When LeBron James joined the team in 2018, it became all about him and whether or not he’d be able to carry the Purple & Gold to another title. He did, and since, there isn’t a day that goes by without the Lakers being in the headlines.

To make matters more interesting, Los Angeles has seen three different head coaches since 2020, beginning with Frank Vogel. After winning the title in 2021, Vogel was given two more chances to do it again, and after failing to do so, he was let go. In came Darvin Ham — the energetic players’ coach — to save the day. Only he was fired, too, after two seasons of lackluster postseason success.

READ MORE: What Can Spurs Learn From NBA Champion Boston Celtics?

The Lakers have now agreed to terms on a four-year deal with former player-turned ESPN analyst JJ Redick, marking their third head coach in what’s about to be four seasons. And the Spurs throughout all of this?

They’ve stuck with Gregg Popovich and the banner of “development.”

Apr 9, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich gives direction during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2018-19 season — when they lost in the first round to the Denver Nuggets behind the DeMar DeRozan and Aldridge duo — and they’re fresh off a season that granted them a top-10 pick for the third straight year, so they have room to grow. Clearly.

But they have a reason to keep their heads up.

Literally, and figuratively.

Victor Wembanyama has been the young anchor and standout for San Antonio since he arrived via horse and carriage from the Riverwalk to Frost Bank Center. Standing 7-foot-4, the 20-year-old has turned heads everywhere he goes and dropped jaws on the basketball court. He has dribbling skills, shooting prowess and a drive to be the best player in the room.

Despite the early success he found — earning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award with ease, finishing second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting and securing seven All-NBA votes — he knows that he has room to grow. And he isn’t shy about admitting it.

READ MORE: Why Victor Wembanyama’s 7 All-NBA Votes Mean More Than You Think

"I am young," the rookie said midway through last season. "I'm getting better every day, and I think we could say that for every month to the next one. The good thing is my margin of progression is that I don’t even know how big it is.”

The Spurs now face a task of building around their rookie. Whether they elect to do so by way of the NBA Draft or by testing the free agency market, that’s clearly atop their priority list. And, they have th oldest coach in the NBA helping push the product they assemble along on the court.

Enter the Lakers.

Redick isn’t Joe Mazzula, meaning he isn’t young enough to set any records if he were to win a title with the Lakers, but he’s fresh out of the studio and not far removed from the basketball court himself. After a 15-year career, the 39-year-old is looking to tackle the new challenges that come with being a coach, and he’s got quite the roster.

Leading the charge is another 39-year-old, James, who’s basketball career has refused to give in to Father Time, and behind him is Anthony Davis — not “old” per se, but certainly experienced. Around them are a plethora of role players with experience. D’Angelo Russell has certainly had his ups and downs with Los Angeles, but is looking like a player wanting to return for another go-round.

Players like Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt have been key contributors, but aren’t quite the stars they could be — especially Reaves, who endured a fair share of struggles after landing a big-time extension just one season ago — with their skill sets. Either way, they, too, have experience playing playoff basketball, which is a stark contrast to San Antonio.

Feb 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs boast the youngest roster in the NBA, complete with zero players in their 30s and a couple of players with lives shorter than James’ playing career. But, unlike the Lakers, they have the oldest coach in the NBA.

Despite their differences, both the Lakers and Spurs fall in a similar category. The Spurs have been at the bottom looking to rise back into contention within the Western Confernence, while the Lakers have been doomed to make it out of the new Play-In Tournament in order to secure their spot in the Playoffs.

READ MORE: How Would Victor Wembanyama Have Fared in the Western Conference Finals?

Wembanyama still has three seasons on his rookie contract before he’s due for an extension. In that time, the Spurs hope to be true contenders with nothing but green in front of them to entice the French phenom back to San Antonio. At the same time, the Lakers’ four-year deal with Redick seems to be a way for them to express the timeline for what they hope will be another championship.

Both are feasible.

With what Wembanyama showed in his rookie season, it’s not far-fetched for him to take a leap in Year 2, especially if the Spurs add talent around him. If James continues his run of greatness into Year 22, he and Davis could certainly command another deep playoff run. But he isn’t getting any younger.

Adding Redick would hopefully eliminate the tactical errors that came from a coach who seemed to be inattentive or unprepared at times, according to his players. That puts both teams in the same position, if everything goes according to plan. The Spurs are well aware of that.

“You kind of get excited,” Cedi Osman, one of the Spurs’ two oldest players, said. “I think we realize what we’re capable of doing. … Obviously we had a lot of ups and downs, but it’s a process. It’s not something that’s going to click right away. 

“We need to build this up, and I think we’re in good position to do that.”

The Lakers and Spurs might not be renewing an age-old rivalry they seem to have had over the years anytime soon, but they could very well be seeing eye to eye down the stretch as the Spurs begin to improve and the Lakers look to keep themselves in the mix every season.

The timeline is finite, but for both teams, it seems to be coming to a head. Redick’s Lakers are everything the Spurs aren’t — that is, older, more experienced and going all in to win now — but that doesn’t separate them when it comes to the state of their rosters and teams.

Redick is a solid hire for Los Angeles. Then again, maintaining Popovich all of these years is a solid move for the Spurs, and one they’ve yet to regret.

They just hope that antithesis doesn’t equate to disparity in the Western Conference standings.