Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka started off the preseason with quite the unexpected announcement.
Speaking to the media alongside head coach JJ Redick ahead of the team’s media day, Pelinka revealed the team and Redick agreed to an extension this offseason.
Redick was, obviously, just one year into his current deal with the team. When he was hired last summer, it was reportedly a four-year deal. Considering
the nature of the announcement and nothing about it leaking beforehand, there are obviously no details on the extension so far.
Both Pelinka and JJ Redick spoke later in the presser about the extension as well.
“Confidence and belief,” Pelinka said on the reason for the extension. “We think he’s a special coach with a special voice who’s really helping us define the culture of lakers excellence. We just wanted to make a clear statement of this is what we believe, this is what we want to lean into…I think having long-term planning is helpful when building team moving forward.”
Redick’s first season in LA was a resounding success. Despite the blockbuster mid-season trade for Luka Dončić, he was able to guide the Lakers to 50 wins and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.
As much of a risk as it was to hire Redick last season, it’s al`so a risk this offseason to extend Redick after just one season. However, there were many encouraging signs from his first season that it was not a flash in the pan for Redick.
Now, the Lakers not only have a superstar for the future in Luka, but they have a coach for the future to pair with him. And after a very encouraging start to their tenure together in Los Angeles last season, there is plenty of reason for excitement and optimism for the Lakers moving forward.
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