Lakers’ Redick Makes Bold Move: D’Angelo Russell Moved to Bench as Team Seeks Defensive Spark
In a surprising shake-up to address their early-season struggles, the Los Angeles Lakers have made a significant change to their starting lineup, with head coach JJ Redick moving point guard D’Angelo Russell to the bench in favor of Cam Reddish before their Friday night matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The decision comes on the heels of a disappointing 1-4 road trip that exposed several weaknesses in the Lakers’ lineup. Russell, who has been struggling to find his rhythm under rookie coach Redick, is averaging just 12.0 points and 5.8 assists per game while shooting a mere 37.5% from the field this season.
“This is not a permanent move or a demotion,” clarified Lakers reporter Mike Trudell. The coaching staff is primarily looking to inject some defensive energy into the starting unit with Reddish, who has shown promising defensive capabilities in his limited playing time this season.
The move gained additional attention following a viral video showing Redick’s animated reaction during the Lakers’ recent loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The clip showed the rookie coach slamming his chair in frustration following Russell’s questionable shot selection, sparking speculation about tension between the coach and player.
However, Redick was quick to address the situation, maintaining that his emotional outburst wasn’t directed solely at Russell. “Basketball is an emotional game,” Redick explained. “I’m a competitive person; I’m a passionate person. Sometimes, for a brief period, you lose control of that emotion. I’m not a zombie—that’s what we call people who lack passion, competitiveness, and expressiveness.
The relationship between Redick and Russell appears to remain professional despite the recent changes. “DLo and I are good. He’s been a professional,” Redick emphasized. “I’ve asked him to adapt his pick-and-roll heavy game to an offense that doesn’t feature many drag pick-and-rolls and high ball screens. He’s been super coachable.”
The new starting lineup will feature Reddish alongside Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Anthony Davis. This adjustment might actually benefit Russell, allowing him more offensive freedom with the second unit rather than sharing the ball with James and Davis in the starting lineup.
Just eight games into his NBA coaching career, Redick views these early challenges as opportunities for growth. “This is why I wanted to coach,” he stated with characteristic candor. “It’s not just so we could indulge in strawberries and ice cream every day.” Anybody can do that.”
The Lakers’ bold lineup change is a reflection of their urgency to improve early in the season. With proven scorers like James and Davis leading the way, along with this strategic adjustment to their rotation, the team hopes to find the winning formula that has eluded them in the early going.
As the Lakers prepare to face the 76ers, all eyes will be on how this new lineup performs and whether Russell can embrace his new role coming off the bench. The success or failure of this move could set the tone for the team’s trajectory in the weeks to come.