Will JJ Redick meet the same fate as Darvin Ham? This question has been raised even before the former player has had the chance to coach his first-ever NBA game. To prevent such an outcome, the new head coach must learn from his predecessor’s mistakes and establish his unique style. To create a positive first impression, he must appeal to the existing lineup rather than focusing solely on the rookies.

In a segment uploaded earlier today, Lakers Nation journalist Trevor Lane shared advice for the new head coach. He highlighted that, apart from Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, JJ Redick is the only other new face in the franchise. Therefore, Lane believes Redick should refrain from immediately altering the starting lineup by adding a rookie. “That’s not gonna go over well in the locker room. That’s what got Darvin (Ham) in hot water,” said Lane.

Lane further added, “Talk about source and stuff. Players were not happy with Darvin Ham when he started tinkering with rotation when he benched Austin, benched DLo (D’Angelo Russell), benched the guys that got them there the year before, in the post-season, in the leadup to the post-season. That led to disharmony in the Lakers locker room, that led to players starting to question ‘Does this coach know what he is doing?”

During his two-season stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, especially in the most recent tournament, Darvin Ham frequently changed the starting lineup as the franchise struggled. This approach worked in some instances, such as in mid-January when he brought Rui Hachimura forward after the Lakers had lost 12 of their last 17 games. However, Ham’s decision to play Cam Reddish in 26 of the team’s first 40 games was heavily criticized.

Between December 12 and January 3, the coach limited the playing time of Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell, two of the leading scorers for the Lakers, aside from LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In their absence, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish received more playing time. Although it’s hard to say definitively, the Lakers went 5-12 during this period and suffered two four-game losing streaks. Despite the criticism, the former head coach defended his decisions.

“It’s been extremely challenging,” said Ham when discussing the rotations. “Everyone that’s been in and out of the lineup. Being criticized for not having a consistent rotation when I don’t have consistent healthy bodies. The thing that frustrates me, and I love this job, I love the pressure that comes with it, I’ve always been calm in the midst of chaos … (but) common sense tends to go out the window when you talk about my job in particular,” Ham further added.

In an article published by Lakers Nation on April 30, NBA journalist Ron Gutterman stated that sidelining Reaves and Russell might have been “the ultimate downfall for Ham.” Three days later, he was fired by the Lakers. If this isn’t a valuable first lesson for JJ Redick as he begins his coaching journey, then what is?

Did Darvin Ham take a shot at JJ Redick’s offense strategy?

To establish himself as a completely different coach than Darvin Ham, JJ Redick must make a few changes while avoiding drastic alterations to the starting lineup. For now, the new head coach has criticized some of his predecessor’s strategies.

Appearing alongside his former colleagues Doris Burke and Mark Jones during ESPN’s Summer League coverage on July 13, Redick discussed his plans for the Lakers. Regarding changes to the roster’s offensive play, he stated, “One thing we worked on was an early on system. One thing last year was they played random. When they played sets, they had a higher efficiency. We have LeBron/AD, but we are gonna play with more movement and cutting.”

Redick’s recent remark highlights another change he hopes to bring, indirectly questioning Darvin Ham’s efficiency. By using the word ‘random,’ he expressed his disapproval of Ham’s offensive tactics. While the 40-year-old may have grand plans for the franchise, NBA enthusiasts won’t see these changes in action until the next season. Until then, all they can do is speculate.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.