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The Los Angeles Lakers convincingly beat the Utah Jazz last night in Luka Doncic's debut with the team, and JJ Redick is pumped, to say the least.
Redick, who is in his first season as the Lakers' head coach, briefly played alongside Doncic when the two were members of the Dallas Mavericks. And Redick, unsurprisingly, is very excited about the future of the team.
“I thought we were able to generate really good offense throughout the night,” Redick said, via the LA Times' Dan Woike.
“I'm most excited with the spirt of the group,” Redick added, via Woike, who said that Redick remarked that the Lakers have “laid the foundation” for what they can become as a team.
Doncic joined the Lakers in the early hours of Feb. 2 when the Mavericks stunningly executed a trade in which they sent Doncic, a five-time All-NBA first-team selection, as well as Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. The Jazz, coincidentally Doncic's first opponent with the Lakers, were also involved in the deal, as they acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and a pair of second-round picks for cash considerations.
"I'm most excited with the spirt of the group," JJ Redick says. Feels like they've laid the foundation for who they're trying to be as a team.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 11, 2025
The trade has seemingly changed the outlook and trajectory of both the Lakers and Mavericks, who entered the season with much different expectations. Before the season began, the Lakers, despite having LeBron James and Davis, made minimal moves to upgrade their roster, kept their remaining first-round draft picks, and spoke of developing their young players. The Mavericks, on the other hand, tried to give Doncic and Kyrie Irving some additional help after making it to the NBA Finals; Dallas added Klay Thompson, Quentin Grimes, and Naji Marshall in the offseason.
Now, just over a week since the trade, the Mavericks are looking at an extended period of time without Davis in the lineup. Davis, who had missed his final two Lakers games with an abdominal strain, left his Mavericks debut Saturday with an abductor strain that is expected to keep him out for multiple weeks. Off the court, the Dallas fanbase's ire is evident and has led for some to stage protests and call for general manager Nico Harrison's job.
Conversely, in Los Angeles, there is quite a bit of optimism around the Lakers. While the Dalton Knecht-Mark Williams trade saga is still playing out, the Lakers will have James and Doncic regardless of the outcome, which is good news for a team sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference.