The Los Angeles Lakers are banking on a major shift with rookie coach JJ Redick at the helm. After a solid but disappointing 2023-24 campaign, finishing seventh in the Western Conference, Lakers fans are eager to see how Redick’s coaching debut could impact the team’s future. The former NBA sharpshooter, known for his high basketball IQ, is already making waves with his new system focused on ball movement, three-point shooting, and aggressive rebounding. But will these changes be enough to make the Lakers true contenders in the West? Lakers insider Jovan Buha has doubts, predicting only a slight improvement in their regular season record.
Despite the optimism surrounding Redick’s fresh approach, Buha believes the Lakers will only improve marginally from last season’s 47-35 record, predicting a 49-33 finish. Buha emphasizes that while Redick brings a new level of structure and attention to detail, LA’s roster hasn’t significantly changed. The Lakers are bringing back most of their core from last season, with notable additions like rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. This continuity could be both a blessing and a curse—familiarity within the team may improve chemistry, but their lack of depth remains a concern.
The firing of former coach Darvin Ham after their 4-1 playoff exit to the Denver Nuggets has put immense pressure on Redick to deliver. Ham’s rotations and defensive schemes were often criticized, and while Redick promises more discipline and modern offensive schemes, his lack of high-level coaching experience could be a stumbling block. Yet, his emphasis on quick ball movement and the three-point game could unlock new potential for LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the team’s superstars. If the Lakers can fully adopt Redick’s vision, they might become a more unpredictable team in the postseason.
Buha’s predictions for the 2025 playoffs are cautiously optimistic. He envisions the Lakers entering as a sixth seed and potentially pulling off an upset in the first round against the defending West champion Dallas Mavericks. However, beyond that, Buha is more skeptical, predicting a second-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Although he admits that a conference finals run is within reach for LA if everything goes perfectly, he’s not ready to call them true championship contenders just yet.
To make a deep playoff run, Buha suggests the Lakers will need to avoid facing the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the early rounds. Denver, the reigning NBA champions, has eliminated the Lakers in consecutive postseasons, and Buha believes they’ve become LA’s kryptonite. Meanwhile, OKC is predicted to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference, and their combination of youth, speed, and talent could prove too much for the Lakers.
As the season begins, the Lakers will face their first test at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the preseason saw LA go 2-4, many of their key players were resting, so it’s hard to gauge how this team will perform under Redick’s system until the regular season gets underway. All eyes will be on Redick to see if he can deliver on the Lakers’ lofty expectations and lead them deeper into the postseason than his predecessor. Only time will tell if the gamble on a first-time coach will pay off, but one thing is clear: the Lakers’ future is as unpredictable as ever.
