The Los Angeles Lakers have secured JJ Redick with a two-year extension tucked into his current four-year deal, ensuring the first-time head coach will remain in Los Angeles through the 2029-30 season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday.
“I’m told the Lakers gave JJ Redick a two-year extension. So that gives them a total of five years through 2030 at $45 million,” Charania said on the NBA Today. “This makes it clear JJ Redick is the coach, not just now, but moving forward for the long term, beyond just the LeBron James era in Los Angeles. As coaching contracts continue to rise, they wanted to lock him in for two additional years.”
Redick’s annual salary under the new deal is $9 million, placing him on par with Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. He trails behind the NBA’s highest-paid coaches, including Golden State Warriors’ Steve Kerr ($17.5 million), Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra ($15 million), Los Angeles Clippers’ Ty Lue ($15 million), and Milwaukee Bucks’ Doc Rivers ($11 million), according to Sportico.
From Analyst to Head Coach
Redick signed a four-year deal worth $32 million ahead of the 2024-25 season, according to ESPN. Before joining the Lakers, he worked as an ESPN analyst and hosted a podcast following a 15-year NBA career.
Redick was the Lakers’ second choice after two-time national champion Dan Hurley of UConn declined the position last year. Despite having no prior coaching experience at the amateur or professional level, the rookie head coach exceeded expectations in his first season, guiding the Lakers to a 50-32 regular-season record and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. The team fell in five games to the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
Pelinka Praises Redick’s Leadership
“He’s the basketball leader in terms of our coaching and on-court performance,” Lakers president Rob Pelinka said Thursday. “Getting an extension done with Luka [Dončić], in addition to having LeBron [James] choose another year with the Lakers as opposed to entering free agency, are all positive, productive things for us as a basketball team. Recently extending JJ’s contract just underscores that leadership.”
Redick expressed gratitude for the trust the Lakers placed in him.
“Rob and I, we have a lot of the same philosophies on life, and one of the words we always talk about is gratitude,” Redick said. “So I think it starts with just a high level of gratitude to the Lakers, to Mark [Walter], Jeanie [Buss] and Rob for having that confidence in me. It’s not lost on me the sort of rarity of a first-time head coach getting an extension. I recognize how fortunate I am to be with an organization that supports me that way.”
Long-Term Vision
Pelinka emphasized that the extension reflects confidence in Redick’s ability to guide the Lakers through the transition from the LeBron era to the Luka era.
“Confidence and belief. We think he’s a special coach with a special voice that’s really helping us continue to define the culture of Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said. “This is what we believe in, what we’re going to lean into, and what our players are going to mold into as we continue to develop the identity. Long-term planning is helpful as we build this team and go forward.”
Lakers’ Championship Expectations
The new deal comes with high expectations for a Lakers team entering the season with several significant changes: Dončić’s offseason body transformation, James entering without a new contract, and key additions in former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia.
The Lakers have the fifth-best championship odds at +1400, according to Ignition, which is looking to compile sporting odds from around the globe.
Redick acknowledged the pressure that comes with coaching Los Angeles.
“The Lakers always have pressure to win,” he said. “Coming into this building, seeing the banners is a constant reminder of what excellence is. So that doesn’t change for me—it’s a year-to-year mindset.”
Pelinka echoed Redick’s philosophy, emphasizing preparation over results alone. “JJ and I are so much about process. Now, we’re about diving into the process of having this team come together … the process of making this team great,” he said.
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