The Los Angeles Lakers are expecting big things out of new head coach JJ Redick, who comes in with no previous coaching experience.
Redick seemed to be the Lakers’ target throughout their process and now they must hope he can deliver as the team is desperate to win another title with LeBron James.
Although Redick is an unknown as a head coach, the expectation is he’ll revamp Los Angeles’ offense. Redick has spoken at length on broadcasts and his podcast about the importance of 3-point shooting and spacing, and he’ll likely be implementing those concepts in his offensive scheme.
Redick is a believer in the five-out offense and he explained what it means, via Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know:
“I think it’s a little more nuanced than just saying it’s five out and every team is different,” Redick said. “Again, in the NBA you want to maximize spacing. That’s what it comes down to. So for the Denver Nuggets, they want to score in the paint so when they go five out it’s to get to the paint. And what they rely on is…let’s say the ball goes here, now Jokic has it here. We’re just gonna cut, this could be a pin down, this could be a rip screen, that’s Aaron Gordon going to the basket. I think when people say, ‘Oh, everybody’s just spaced five out,’ and people think it’s like this guy going to his bag every single time and jacking a three. That’s not what it is. Five-out is just a way to maximize spacing so that whatever your particular team likes to do and wants to do and can do well you can run different actions out of five-out.”
There is a misconception that five-out offense exclusively means shooting threes, but as Redick points out it’s much more than that. The modern NBA is predicated on using spacing to generate shots either at the rim or beyond the arc, and it sounds like Los Angeles will be adopting those principles.
Redick is already talking to his players about embodying these concepts as he said he wants someone like Rui Hachimura shooting more 3-pointers. Hearing Redick talk about the offense is encouraging, but it remains to be seen how it actually translates on the floor.
Mike Krzyzewski explains why JJ Redick will succeed as Lakers’ head coach
One person who believes JJ Redick will succeed in his new role with the Lakers is legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. He coached Redick in college and the two have remained close ever since.
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