“I mean, first of all, he couldn’t move at all, so it wasn’t.” this is what Luka Doncic had to say about his time with his new coach JJ Redick. Luka didn’t even need to step on the court in Lakers gear before taking a playful jab at JJ Redick. He said this in his introductory press conference. That said, he also made sure to show his respect and excitement about teaming up in L.A.
The Lakers’ blockbuster trade may have sent shockwaves through the NBA, but for head coach JJ Redick, there’s little time to reflect. “Unfortunately for me, this last month has been a lot, so I’m not in the reflective mood just yet,” Redick admitted when asked if he had processed the magnitude of the deal. “My job is to coach this team tonight, try to get Luka acclimated and get him back on the court.”
The emotional weight of the trade wasn’t lost on him. Redick acknowledged the difficulty of saying goodbye to key players, noting, “Certainly a lot of mixed emotions, particularly around the loss of family members. A.D., Max, Jalen they were part of our family.”
But at the same time, he recognized the rare opportunity in front of him. “As much as we can hyperbolize this trade as the craziest trade in sports history, it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to trade for a player of Luka’s caliber in his prime.”
Balancing the human side of the business with his role as a coach, Redick emphasized empathy. “I’ve been traded twice. I’ve had really close friends traded. You don’t wave a magic wand and everything’s okay a day later… This is a process, and our group’s committed to making sure we get this right.”
With All-Star break approaching, Redick isn’t dwelling on the past. His focus is clear—getting Luka settled and keeping the Lakers’ momentum going.
This is a developing story…
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