JJ Redick, the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, has recently found himself at the center of controversy due to decisions that have not sat well with fans. One notable incident occurred during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where the Lakers suffered a 101-93 loss, leading to their elimination from the NBA Cup group stage. Fans were particularly upset with Redick’s decision to bench D’Angelo Russell, who had been performing well with 17 points, while keeping underperforming players like Anthony Davis and Austin Reeves on the court. This move led to significant criticism from the fanbase, especially as LeBron James, at 39, appeared to be showing signs of aging, combining with Davis for only 27 points in that game. citeturn0news12.
Further exacerbating the situation, NBA analyst Charles Barkley publicly criticized Redick during a broadcast, labeling him a “dead man walking” and suggesting that the Lakers’ issues couldn’t be resolved merely by changing coaches. Barkley’s comments highlighted the team’s deeper problems and intensified the scrutiny on Redick’s coaching strategies. citeturn0news14.
