The Lakers under-the-radar offseason addition is paying off in a big way

The Los Angeles Lakers started the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2010-2011 season. They have since gone 1-2, but newly appointed head Coach JJ Redick has already made a positive impact. The Lakers didn’t make any player acquisitions aside from the NBA Draft, but bolstering their coaching staff could be exactly what they needed.

The Lakers' offensive structure has improved.

Lebron James and Anthony Davis are two all-NBA players with endless versatility and talent. Due to their greatness, getting them the ball in their spots against favorable matchups often leads to success. 

The issue is that the Lakers have relied on that too much the past two seasons, leading to a mediocre offense rating, finishing 15th and 19th, respectively, over the last two years under Darvin Ham.

Redick has taken a different approach and implemented an offense focused on player movement, cutting, and screening. He has found a balance between letting his all-stars play and providing them with the structure to generate quality looks within the flow of an offense. 

Due to this, the Lakers have a top-seven offensive rating, and Davis is off to a great start, averaging 30.6 points per game and 12.2 rebounds. Pelinka did an amazing job surrounding Redick with experienced assistants such as Nate Mcmillan and Scott Brooks.

The staff's overall intelligence has noticeably improved, a change that’s been evident since the start of training camp. Point guard D’Angelo Russell commented on it after their win against the Sacramento Kings. “JJ and his coaching staff are well prepared; I think that preparation is what’s getting us these wins.”

Laker hopefuls were disappointed in the lack of player additions this past offseason, but elite coaching separates the good teams from the great in the postseason, and Redick and his staff are built for that.

The Lakers have had a change in culture.

In addition to basketball intelligence, Redick has brought a much-needed change in culture to the team. He has enabled players to shoot with confidence and freedom. Mid-game against the Phoenix Suns, he barked at rookie Dalton Knect for turning down a three in the first half: “Shoot the f***ing ball; they’re not going to block your shot.”

Although it’s never the best feeling to get yelled at, the spirit and confidence Redick instills in Knect and the rest of his players will translate to big shots made in pressure moments in the future. Below, Redick is shown guarding center Jaxson Hayes on a post drill in practice as the players hyped him up after a stop.

Playing with Lebron James and being a Laker comes with immense pressure and scrutiny, so Redick's bringing back the joy to the game for many of the supporting cast is great for team morale.The Lakers look to bounce back with a win tonight against the Raptors as they start their three-game road trip, expect Reddick and the staff to be dialed in.