“No back-to-backs,” said Devin Booker back in Feb, when asked about the one rule he would add to the NBA if he could. In a regular season run that can go on for almost 8 months, things can get tiresome. It really doesn’t help when you are a member of your team’s starting five and must be present for back-to-back games for an extended period. Therefore, being 39 years of age with over two decades worth of experience in the NBA, someone like LeBron James should be aware of the importance of taking breaks in between.

However, with him recently coming out with a bold declaration that contradicts the need to rest, JJ Redick is now handing out his own tricks and tips on how to not let the tiredness get to the players.

Before the upcoming matchup between the Lakers and the Kings, the rookie HC took some time out to engage in a Q&A session. Someone asked Redick what he kept in mind when participating in back-to-backs, back in his day. The 40-year-old emphasized proper sleep, and would especially take some sedatives before and after the game to ensure he gets his needed rest. He admitted that the schedule is tiresome, but when looking at things from a different perspective, one can always make the best out of the situation.

JJ Redick added, “I always like playing on back-to-backs, to be honest with you. I think there’s obviously a lot of stories about my routine and all that stuff, and how severe it got towards the end of my career… Back-to-backs were the only time I got out of that routine,” said Redick. “And so, really, I approached every back-to-back through like a mental challenge, more so than just like getting my body ready to go is more just like digging in to just get the mental toughness aspect of it.”

JJ Redick’s remarks come only a few hours after LeBron James declared his wish to play in ALL 82 games for the Lakers during the regular season. Despite being two months away from his 40th birthday, the age beyond which only 31 players in NBA history have played, the NBA All-Time Scorer continued remaining the lead scorer for his franchise.

LeBron James last secured his championship title back in 2020, and since then, the veteran has faced playoff troubles, so time is slipping away, for him to secure another ring before retirement. Therefore, any effort that he can personally make to ensure the Lakers reach the playoffs and even go far during the postseason, the players seem ready to take up.

“Yeah. I plan on playing every game,” said LeBron James in the aftermath of the recent win against the Suns. “We’ll see what happens. You never know. We’ll see what happens if I don’t.”

His recent determination may be attributed to the fact that the player was placed on a minutes restriction during the previous season when the team was still under the control of then-head coach Darvin Ham.

As seen in Netflix’s Starting 5, LeBron James could be heard telling his assistant coaches, “I know you got me on f——g old man time percentages and s–t. Play 8 minutes and s–t. 2 shots in 8 minutes, just getting cardio. I hate this s–t already. This s–t’s garbage.”

Now, with Darvin Ham gone, the King may see the ongoing season as the perfect opportunity to recreate his 2017-18 run, the only time in his career when he did manage to play all 82 games. After all, JJ Redick has already given his blessings on Bron’s plans.

JJ Redick backtracks on his “real-time” decision to endorse LeBron James’ 82-game decision: “We’ll manage the minutes accordingly”

After the reported troubles he faced with Darvin Ham, LeBron James needed a boss who would understand his point of view in regard to decision-making. Therefore, it was pretty convenient when the Lakers hired JJ Redick. Despite having no prior coaching experience in the NBA, what the hoops analyst had was a bond that he had earlier formed with the King on a professional basis. Therefore, after James declared his intention to be present for all 82 games, his Lakers boss was quick to support him.

“Most players go into a season wanting to play 82 games. So if that’s what he wants to do, great. I love it,” said Redick, as highlighted by ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin. “I would love to have him for 82. We’ll manage the minutes accordingly.”

This statement comes just a day after the head coach highlighted being unsure of a way to work around the issue of how many games should LeBron James and Anthony Davis play. Instead, the HC decided that they would make the final decision just hours before the matchup, stating, “It’s all in real-time. How do they feel when they get up on Saturday morning?”

It’s still too early for LeBron James to ensure that he will be well and good to play every game. After all, his recent declaration does not account for any freak injuries. But now that the promise is made, fans will wait and see how long the all-time scorer will adhere to it.