Los Angeles Lakers Give JJ Redick Contract Extension

“It’s not lost on me the sort of rarity of a first-time head coach getting an extension,” JJ Redick said. “Like I recognize how fortunate I am to be with an organization that supports me that way.”

The Lakers went 50-32 last season. They were the third seed in the Western Conference but lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

Pelinka was busy this offseason. He signed Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia in free agency and signed Luka Dončić to a three-year extension after losing Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets.

Dončić recruited Ayton and Smart to Los Angeles.

Redick, who used to be podcast partners with LeBron James, didn’t reveal his starting lineup on Thursday, but sources told DallasHoopsJournal that the Lakers are expected to start Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, James and Ayton.

Dončić appeared in 28 games with the Lakers last season after the Dallas Mavericks traded him in February. The talented point-forward averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.4 blocks with the purple and gold.

One of the best basketball players in the world, Dončić has lost 30 pounds since last summer, a league source told DallasHoopsJournal. The 26-year-old was listed at 230 pounds with the Mavericks and Lakers last season. He’s at 200 pounds right now.

Dončić enters the 2025-26 season third in NBA history in points per game. He has career averages of 28.2 points with the Mavericks and Lakers.

Los Angeles won the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat. The franchise also made the Western Conference Finals in 2023, losing to the Denver Nuggets.

It will be fascinating to see if Dončić and James can win a title together.