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Is there a disconnect between Lakers' coaching staff, front office?
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Is there a disconnect between Lakers' coaching staff, front office?

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers struck a deal to send D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets. Dorian Finney-Smith was also part of the four-player trade and has since joined up with JJ Redick's team. 

Speaking to the media ahead of Tuesday's Lakers matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Redick shared his thoughts on the talented point guard's departure.

“I loved coaching D'L," Redick said. "I spent more time with that guy, and on the phone this summer, on the golf course...I told him many times, I want a great outcome for him and I'm hoping he has a great rest of the year. We're going to miss his playmaking, we're going to miss his ball-handling, we're going to miss his shooting. He's had several games, including recently...where we don't win those games without him. With Gabe being out...Shake having his first game with us, we're gonna miss a lot from D'Lo.”

It sounds like Redick wanted to keep Russell around, at least for the remainder of the season. The veteran guard has blown hot and cold this season. Nevertheless, as a tertiary ball-handler and playmaker, he was capable of making a difference when needed. 

In 29 games this season, Russell averaged 12.4 points, 4.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds. He's shot 41.5% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. Those are not ideal stats, but considering he's at his best when orchestrating an offense, those numbers were reasonable. 

There's no denying that Finney-Smith is an important addition to the Lakers. They've needed additional wing defense and scoring for the past few seasons. However, you would hope that Rob Pelinka cleared trading Russell with Redick before striking the deal. Redick has been hired to build a project. If his authority on how to implement that project has already been undermined, then the Lakers have far bigger problems than a disjointed roster.

The best teams in the NBA have a clear alignment between the coaching staff and the front office. Redick's comments hint at a potential rift in communication. Finney-Smith will likely be a hit with the Lakers. But if Redick has an issue with the way the trade went down, Pelinka could be forced into some difficult conversations this summer.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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