There will come a time in the not-so-distant future when LeBron James will no longer drive up the court and slam down the ball into the basket. The man is 39 years old and will be 40 by end of the year. Hence, one can assume that he will play for another two or three years at the most. Four NBA titles and the scoring record later, he is not yet the GOAT in the eyes of many. But it is possible that new Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick could change that narrative.
LeBron James is squarely in the GOAT conversation. However, fans of Michael Jordan argue that James does not have the NBA Finals records or the no. of titles that Jordan has. They also cite the Defensive Player of the Year award as a distinguishing factor. That award though, has made the front pages off late, as reports have questioned the authenticity of the statistics which helped Jordan win.
There is also an argument that most of the teams LeBron James led to the NBA Finals in the earlier part of his career legitimately could not compete for the NBA title. That itself has pushed his GOAT candidacy back. He kept on trying until his patience ran out, forcing him to jump to the Miami Heat.
Two wins there, a third back in his hometown of Cleveland, and one in Los Angeles later, ‘The King’ is firmly in the GOAT conversation. But he has to get over the title hump. JJ Redick will have to work out how to help his podcast mate sign off as the undisputed greatest ever.
Unlock the team’s potential to help LeBron James get rest
There is no athlete in the current NBA who is as conditioned as the all-time leading scorer. That being said, one cannot stop the natural progression of human life. Keeping that in mind, the first order on JJ Redick’s list should be to restrict LeBron James’ minutes. Easier said than done when all the superstar wants to do is win.
Managing LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ minutes will be crucial to playoff success (image via Open Source/X)Former head coach Darvin Ham had a similar agenda before the start of last season. But James, who can spot problems a mile away, knew early on that he needs to play more than the limit to win games. He went on to play for an average of 35 minutes per game last season. A workload that prompted many analysts to warn James of potential burnout come playoff time.
More importantly, they pointed the finger at the roster, asking younger players to do more. That would be the second order of business Redick will need to address as soon as possible. He has to develop or to put it in better words, unlock some scoring and decision making from the younger stars. Redick needs to build their game up so that they are good enough to handle the load during the regular season.
After fixing all that, he needs to help Anthony Davis play smarter. Last year was one of the best years of the superstar big man’s career. But even then, he was throttled towards the end of games after running himself to the ground with his efforts in the first three quarters. Davis is the man they should turn to in the fourth quarter. And again, for that to happen, the younger players will have to balance the load.
Get Rajon Rondo or another quality assistant on board
To help with that game management, JJ Redick should seek a quality assistant. Someone who has a reputation of demanding the best from the players on the team. A person who is not afraid to point out a lack of effort and also ensure that the focus is on the goal at all times.
That someone could be Rajon Rondo. LeBron James, for one, has nothing but high praise for his former teammate.
JJ Redick should hire Rajon Rondo to help him (image via NBA/X)He mentioned during a conversation with Redick on their podcast, Mind the Game, that Rondo is the ultimate competitor. As a player he knew how to manage his energy and shot selection. At the same time, he could dissect the opposition and tap into their weakness. James has also suggested that Rondo could be great as a coach. Therefore, JJ Redick should immediately look to hire the former Los Angeles Lakers star to be by his side.
Most assistant coaches toe the line when it comes to pointing out their head coach’s mistakes. But JJ Redick has no prior coaching experience. Rajon Rondo will help his head coach look at things from a different perspective. Having another set of eyes, especially one who is a student of the game, could help both of them be better.
If by any chance the two-time champion does not take up on the offer, JJ Redick should look at adding someone with experience. Scott Brooks and Stan Van Gundy come to the mind who can help Redick in crucial moments. All that being said, whoever ends up as his assistant, the rookie head coach will have to use all his basketball knowledge to figure out how to handle some of the Los Angeles Lakers’ prime competitors.
JJ Redick has to solve the Denver Nuggets problem
No team in the league has a better record against the Los Angeles Lakers than the Denver Nuggets as of late. All throughout Darvin Ham’s tenure, the Nuggets have posted a 12-1 record against them. It would have been 12-0 if not for a spirited push by an exhausted LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Game 4 of this year’s Western Conference first round playoff series.
Solving the Denver Nuggets problem will be key to their NBA title push (image via LAL/X)Beating them convincingly will be the first measure of progress for the young head coach. Solving the Nuggets problem itself will not only bring respect, but also help them down the stretch. Often known as the Lakers’ Kryptonite, the 2023 title holders play championship winning basketball. Winning over them means the Lakers could win over anyone in the league.
Similarly, JJ Redick will also have to use his knowledge of the game to dissect the likes of the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings—two other Western Conference teams who have given LeBron James and Co. a hard time. But those wins will come if all the above is taken care of.
LeBron James needs a sustained winning formula. Only then can he hope to win at least another NBA title or two before he retires as the greatest ever. If JJ Redick can solve these puzzles and help win titles along the way, no one can deny LeBron James from being the undisputed GOAT.
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