The Los Angeles Lakers have signed head coach JJ Redick to a multiyear contract extension, general manager Rob Pelinka announced during a recent press conference.
Redick, 40, completed his first season on the sideline by guiding Los Angeles to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference despite a string of injuries and a major roster overhaul. The February trade that brought Luka Doncic to Crypto.com Arena forced Redick to redesign his rotations on the fly, a challenge Pelinka said proved the coach’s value.
Pelinka: “He’s the basketball leader”
“We recently extended JJ’s contract just to make it clear that he’s the basketball leader in terms of our coaching and on-court performance,” Pelinka told reporters. He cited “confidence and belief” as the primary reasons for moving quickly on a new deal. “We think he’s a special coach with a special voice that’s really helping us continue to define the culture of Lakers excellence.”
Pelinka added that long-term stability was a priority after the organization cycled through several coaches in recent years. “Having long-term planning is helpful when building the team moving forward,” he said.
Player support
Veteran guard Marcus Smart, acquired this season, praised Redick’s basketball IQ and in-game adjustments. Smart said he noticed those traits when Redick was still playing and believes they have translated seamlessly to coaching.
Redick’s extension comes less than a year after he accepted his first coaching job at any level. Financial terms and the length of the new contract were not disclosed.
Source: Lakers Nation
