JJ Redick Reveals Expectations for New Lakers Addition
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick is excited to see what the team’s latest addition, Drew Timme, is going to bring to the table. Redick has set his expectations for the Gonzaga standout, who was signed to a two-way contract on November 24.
Speaking to reporters a day after Timme was signed, Redick discussed what Timme would add to the Lakers. He praised the big man’s ability to make plays on the block, as well as his other skills like shooting and rebounding.
“He is tremendously skilled offensively. We haven’t really had a big here as a hub, as like a passing guy that you can kind of play out of the high post with. (
Timme made his Lakers debut against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday during garbage time. He scored his first bucket in purple and gold colors, and added a steal in just a minute of action.
LeBron James Compares Redick to Legendary Coach
Before becoming a head coach, JJ Redick learned under some great mentors as a player, like Stan Van Gundy with the Orlando Magic
However, Redick’s greatest mentor is arguably Mike Krzyzewski, who was his coach at Duke University. LeBron James even compared him to Coach K on a recent episode of the “Mind The Game”
“It’s been no sugarcoating with the coaches that put him in the position that he’s in today. I had an opportunity to play for Coach K a couple of times. Coach K, there’s no sugarcoating. He’s gonna tell you exactly how he feels if you’re not doing it right. But it’s going to be in a very stern, but loving way,” James said, via
James played under Krzyzewski in three major tournaments: the 2007 FIBA Americas, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.
Redick Wants to Win NBA Cup
After beating the LA Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers clinched a spot in the knockout rounds of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup. While some fans and players still don’t care about the In-Season Tournament, JJ Redick wants to win it.
“I really enjoyed it as a broadcaster, covering it, talking about it. Didn’t get an opportunity to compete for the cup last year, so we’re excited. I mean, $53,000 is a lot of money. It just is. So I’m sure there’s some extra motivation,” Redick said, via
The Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023, when they were coached by Darvin Ham. LeBron James was named NBA Cup MVP.
Draymond Green showing signs of progress in area Warriors never thought he'd fix
As the NBA season nears its quarter-mark, the Golden State Warriors, who sit at a 10-10 record, have been rather disappointing offensively, struggling to find any consistency from the players beyond their stars.
Yet, one relatively unnoticed development, the improved 3-point shooting of Draymond Green, could make a signficant impact on their versatility. While Green will certainly not win them games as a knockdown perimeter shooter, his ability to space the floor even slightly could grant the team much-needed offensive flexibility, especially
This season, Green is hitting 36.5% of his catch-and-shoot 3-pointers: an extremely surprising improvement given his status as a career 32.1% shooter. While Green is always known to hit a deep shot here or there, a more consistent mark in this category could make all the difference for Golden State.
Draymond Green's sudden ability to space the floor could pay huge dividends when Jonathan Kuminga returns
Since the Warriors' championship run in 2022, their problem has always centered around one central deficit in their game: their inability to find the right mix of players to augment Stephen Curry.
While Jimmy Butler, who the team acquired at the trade deadline last season, did not make an impact from beyond the arc, his status as a bona-fide secondary scorer helped alleviate a significant portion of the defensive pressure that Curry faced, and, conjoined with his viability as a defender, the team saw a marked turnaround once he arrived
Yet, his presence also created issues. Given the fact that neither him nor Green were capable 3-point shooters, Golden State was unable to play Kuminga, their most dynamic young scorer, in the starting lineup.
This season, when Kuminga's been healthy, that combination has actually been particularly effective. Across the 160 minutes they've played together, the Warriors have an 11.8 net rating. Yet, the song remains the same. If none of these players are viable perimeter shooters, the team simply cannot have all three of them on the court at the same time.
However, Butler has shot a remarkable 45.9% from beyond the arc this year, and, barring a rough stretch he experienced right before his injury, Kuminga was showing signs of improvement as well.
Therefore, if Green can become even a shadow of a catch-and-shoot threat, the Warriors' ideal lineup could suddenly become available to them again.
Frankly, no one expects Green to suddenly become a knockdown shooter, but that is not what the team needs. Both him and Butler must be viable enough from beyond the arc that opposing defenses are required to at least pay attention to them in that area of the court, and, so far this season, it appears as though an unlikely development in Green's game may allow that to happen.
