The fallout from the Los Angeles Lakers early elimination from the NBA playoffs continues to plague the team, and Robert Holly is the latest to question two “silly” decisions by J.J. Reddick with a strongly expressed criticism.
There is always a reverberation when a more fantasy team bounces back in the first round of the playoffs.
When that more and more teams happen to be the most scrutinized team in the NBA, that fallout reaches even higher levels, which is what the JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers face.
Many unpleasant questions have been met with the Lakers, from LeBron James’s bringing Anthony Davis into the photo to sudden suspicions about Luka Donsic’s trade.
Seven-time NBA champion Robert Holly has added two decisions by Reddick that could make all the difference, flying under the radar.
Reddick’s regular season coaching bubble exploded in the playoffs as he was kicked out by Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Not only did the Lakers become unbalanced as a team, Reddick left him out of what made him so good – making the most of his role players and ultimately hurting the team.
Even Austin Reeves struggled to make an effort, but Redick stuck with his starter, almost following the obstacles, they were running in smoke at the end.
Knowing one or two things about the winning championship, Robert Holly spoke at the nightcap, saying that the use of two role players in particular scratched his head.
One was “best defender” for the La Lakers, while the other was “Flame Thrower,” which I barely saw, if any.
Holly said: “(Anthony Edwards) you and your best defenders are on the bench, (jarred Vanderbilt). I got at least six fouls. What are you doing? Are I not mad at JJ?
“The biggest mistake the Lakers made all season was not trying to implement Dalton Knecht in the system. It’s a flamethrower over there. You have to give him a chance.”
Holly may be questioning Reddick’s decision, but it’s not that Reddick didn’t know what he was doing despite being a freshman head coach.
His tendency for role players to not write about future troubles for players in Los Angeles is rarely returned once the head coach loses trust.
Even “the third best option in the league” will make the scenario even tougher for people like Dalton Necht after the series where Austin Reeves is under the scanner.
Knecht almost left the Lakers in the failed Mark Williams trade, and his departure seems inevitable as many people ultimately plagued the Lakers.
Then there are Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, and even Jarred Vanderbilt. It’s impossible to see a scenario where the Lakers are offered the right big man for one of these three and they don’t take it.
Next year’s roster may look very different from the outside of the current superstar duo. It seems no one is safe.