INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Though JJ Redick and Tyronn Lue are opposing coaches in Los Angeles’ crosstown NBA rivalry, they’re firmly in settlement that Luka Doncic and LeBron James will type a dynamite pairing for the Lakers.
“I’m assured that we are able to work out easy methods to mix their abilities collectively in a optimistic method in a really quick period of time,” Redick mentioned.
Though Doncic wasn’t fairly able to debut with the Lakers on Tuesday night time, the high-scoring celebrity already was the speak of the world when the Lakers visited the Clippers for his or her first sport since they swung the blockbuster commerce sending Anthony Davis and Max Christie to the Dallas Mavericks for Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.
Earlier than tipoff at Intuit Dome, each coaches had been requested repeatedly about Doncic’s affect on the Lakers and his potential match with James, who’s halfway by his record-tying twenty second NBA season.
Lue is well-positioned to grasp what Redick should do when Doncic returns. Lue was James’ coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who gained a championship with James enjoying alongside ballhawk guard Kyrie Irving.
Lue gave a trademark smirk when requested how he would reply to pundits and ex-players like Charles Barkley and Paul Pierce who suppose James and Doncic gained’t work effectively collectively as a result of they’re each ball-dominant gamers.
“They’re not proper,” Lue mentioned. “It’ll work. When you will have LeBron James, who’s been the most effective participant within the league for the final 15 years, and you’ve got Luka — who’s a top-three, top-five participant within the league — they’ll work out easy methods to make it work. LeBron can play with anyone. … I don’t see it’s going to be an issue in any respect. I do know JJ will do an excellent job of stacking these guys so that they every have their very own unit, sort of like we did with Kyrie and LeBron, after which within the fourth quarter they’ll shut video games collectively. They’ll determine it out. It’s not a troublesome downside to have, I’ll inform you that.”
Redick and Doncic had been teammates for the ultimate 13 video games of Redick’s prolonged enjoying profession in Dallas in 2021. Doncic later made appearances on Redick’s well-regarded podcast.
“I might say we had a friendship (and) mutual respect,” Redick mentioned. “You then have to determine easy methods to have a working relationship as participant/coach, and each him and I are dedicated to that. I spent about an hour with him on Sunday after he received to the lodge from Dallas. Had a fantastic dialog with him. Had a subsequent dialog. I am excited to construct that with him.”
Doncic is near coming back from a strained left calf that has sidelined him since Christmas. He’ll take part in 5-on-5 apply work Wednesday earlier than the Lakers and Doncic’s representatives formulate a plan for his return to motion.
Speak about Doncic was a theme all throughout LA.
Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar had loads to say after apply concerning the affect of Doncic, one of many few Slovenian athletes extra well-known than Kopitar, who already reached out to his countryman with congratulations.
“He’s clearly a celebrity world wide, not simply in Slovenia,” Kopitar mentioned. “For our nation, being so small, clearly everyone is aware of him. And it was an enormous deal, I do know from what I heard from again residence. It’s clearly good to have him right here, and the Lakers have had success with different Slovenians within the lineup, so it’ll be enjoyable to see him in purple and gold.”
Kopitar was referring to Sasha Vujacic, who gained two NBA championships and have become a fan favourite throughout six seasons with the Lakers.
Kopitar usually catches a few Lakers video games annually, however he expects to attend many extra sooner or later — as a result of his children are huge followers of Doncic.
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AP freelancer Dan Greenspan in El Segundo contributed to this report.
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