Lakers coach JJ Redick hints at NBA rule change to benefit LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick believes the selection criteria should be changed to allow LeBron James to claim a spot on the All-NBA team for this season.
James sat down 136-108 loss Tuesday night against the San Antonio Spurs due to arthritis in his left foot. It was the 18th game he was forced to miss this season, making it impossible for him to now reach the 65-game threshold to be eligible for the league's annual awards.
The 41-year-old was named to an All-NBA team for a record 21 consecutive seasons, but that streak is now about to end.
However, Redick, who was part of the voting panel in his previous role as a member of the media, suggested that the 65-game rule, introduced ahead of the 2023/24 season, should be used as “guidance”.
He said: “I think it's good to have some sort of guidance for voters. I know the first year I voted there was a group of guys that were in that 54 to 56 game range.”
It stinks for guys who have good years – Johnson
Redick is unlikely to get his wish, although Spurs coach Mitch Johnson also believes it's difficult for players who are having good years despite injury problems.
“I think the intent behind the rule makes sense,” Johnson said. “Try to incentivize and motivate players to play. Playing games in this league over 82 regular-season games, it's a lot, and it's tough and there's a lot of bumps and bruises and four-letter things that people go through. And I think that's a skill and it's a requirement that these guys perform mentally, physically and emotionally, and I understand the intent of that.
“The details, if 65 games is the right number, should not be eligible for certain awards. [if they do not reach it]honestly, I haven't thought about it much. I think it obviously stinks for guys who have really good years.
LeBron and the Lakers fight to reach the playoffs
What concerns Redick, James and the Lakers more is the loss to the Spurs and the damage it could do to their playoff hopes.
LA is fifth in the Western Conference and ravaged by injuries with Luka Doncic (hamstring), Austin Reaves (calf), Marcus Smart (ankle) and Deandre Ayton (knee) all missing the game against the Spurs.
This gave the bench players the opportunity to impress, but they failed the audition as Spurs' Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points in just 26 minutes.
Redick was particularly unhappy with his team's defensive efforts.
He said: “You have some of those plays, and I don't know the confidence level of the guys that were there, that some of those plays you think to yourself, 'oh, I'm going to have more shots tonight.' And you come out without any defensive intentions.
“Wemby blitzed us and we didn't execute what we were trying to do. And then when he didn't have the ball and they drove, it was like a one-on-one, with no defensive help.
“I could have shown 18 clips of us not playing our defense. Not much to take away other than we suck at defense.”
Wembanyama blitz proves too much for Lakers second string
It was a good night for 7ft 4in Wembanyamaeven though he watched the final quarter from the bench with the game won.
He said: “I wanted to go back as well, but I mean, they did the right thing by keeping me on the bench. We have to think long term. But yeah, these kind of games, you have to have greed. I mean, every game, you have to have that greed of wanting more every time, because you know at any moment, no matter who is on the pitch, there is someone who is going to want to stop you from doing what you are doing out there. So you must be greedy.
2026-02-11 09:02:00
