Lakers coach JJ Redick received extension ahead of full season of LeBron James-Luka Doncic pairing

Pelinka snuck the announcement into his opening statement of a joint press conference with Redick on Thursday before training camp opens next week.

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

Getting Redick to sign a new deal after superstar point guard Luka Doncic agreed to a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension through 2028 in August leaves James as the last piece of the Lakers’ headlining trio without certainty after this season.

James, 40, is going into his unprecedented 23rd professional campaign after picking up his $52.6 million player option in June. What happens after the upcoming season is uncertain, but Pelinka said that if James wants to continue playing, the Lakers want him to do it for them.

“The first thing we want to do in terms of LeBron and his future is just give him the absolute respect to choose his story with his family in terms of how many years he’s going to continue to play,” Pelinka said. “He’s earned that right, and he’s the best one to talk about that in terms of how many years he’d like to play. … We would love if LeBron’s story would be to retire as a Laker.”

Redick met twice with James during the summer, once in the Hamptons in New York and again in Los Angeles, and came away convinced the seemingly ageless legend is ready to go after averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds last season with the Lakers.

“I came away from that thinking he’s in a great spot mentally and know he’s going to give us his absolute best,” Redick said.

James’ commitment comes after an offseason where Doncic was seemingly the focus of the Lakers’ roster construction, with the addition of center DeAndre Ayton on a two-year contract giving the 26-year-old a much-needed partner in pick-and-roll scenarios.

Doncic, who was shockingly dealt to the Lakers in February in one of the biggest and most unexpected trades in NBA history, spent the offseason working to improve his physical fitness. The early returns on his development with Slovenia at the EuroBasket tournament were impressive, and Doncic indicated to Redick his commitment to maintaining those changes is for the long haul.

“I get the sense from talking to him all summer, spending time with him, not only just here but at the Backstreet Boys (concert in Las Vegas) is that this is his life now,” Redick said. “This is his routine. This is just a daily commitment to the new standard that he set for himself. ... I expect the best version of Luka, and it’s my job as a coach to bring that out on a daily basis.”

Doncic is the only player the Lakers currently have on a confirmed contract past the 2026-27 season, and there is significant flexibility to make in-season changes if the team wants to do so. Pelinka said he would likely hold off on any such moves until at least 20 games have been played.

In spite of that uncertainty, the Lakers carry their typical sky-high expectations into the season, made all the more tantalizing by having a full offseason to figure out how to maximize the Doncic and James partnership.

Redick isn’t shying away from the idea of a championship.

“I think there’s always pressure on the Lakers,” he said. “Coming into this building every day, you’re constantly reminded of what Lakers’ excellence is, so that doesn’t change, for me at least, year to year.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA