JJ Redick reveals master plan to get most out of Lakers star trio

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Sharing is caring, and Lakers head coach JJ Redick understands how sharing, both on the court and off it, can rouse a team to success. At his introductory press conference for the 2025-26 season, Redick answered a question about how time has shaped his outlook on utilizing the Lakers star trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves by saying:

"I think the word I would use would be share. I think in a team sport...You have no choice but to share. Share the basketball, share the spotlight. I think all three of those guys have a ton of respect for each other's skillsets and each other's abilities..."

Redick also mentioned how spending time with Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay opened his eyes to the importance of "utility plays," which are "...Plays where all three of those guys feel involved in some capacity, and they're sharing the court together."

So, share everything and make each of the stars feel involved. That seems pretty straightforward. But what does it actually look like in practice?

Maybe it's fewer shots per night for Austin Reaves, or less pure isolation from Luka. Because each member of this big three is a high-level passer (Reaves is getting there if he isn't already), the night-to-night sharing of the ball and the responsibilities shouldn't be a problem.

But like I said recently, both James and Doncic have spent recent years on teams that had two clear stars surrounded by solid, deep casts of role players. These Lakers are different -- they have three real stars, which makes things easier in theory. But we've also seen big threes crash and burn numerous times in the contemporary NBA.

Thus, Redick's focus on "utility plays" becomes all the more important. Maybe that means having Austin Reaves setting up as a catch-and-shoot option on Luka / Deandre Ayton pick-and-rolls. Maybe it means using LeBron as a roamer, slasher, and secondary offensive hub instead of having him run point most of the time.

There were times last year when Redick outsmarted opponents. And as I've said in the past, there were also times when Redick outsmarted himself. If he can simplify his approach while also making sure the players on the court are adhering to the principle of sharing, like he said in today's press conference, then the ceiling for this Lakers team is higher than it has been since 2020.