Can JJ Redick be the difference for the Lakers?

With most of the players from last year returning for the Lakers, JJ Redick will have to prove to be the difference maker for the franchise.

Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we'll be writing columns every week day, breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we wrap up with a look at JJ Redick.

The hiring of JJ Redick was not a surprise this summer. He was the main name mentioned in rumors for weeks and despite Dan Hurley being offered the job, in the end, Redick will now coach this franchise.

From playing against LeBron James, to podcasting with him and now coaching the star forward, Redick's journey here has been unorthodox, raising a few eyebrows regarding the hire.

Can he even do this job? His basketball acumen is not being questioned, but it does feel a bit uneasy when the team you coached before the Lakers is your son's basketball team.

With only two new players added to the roster, how much can Redick impact this 47-win team? How good can things be if everything breaks right and what if things go wrong?

Let's look at both sides of that coin.

What is his best-case scenario?

It's hard to envision Redick's year because we have no frame of reference for his coaching compared to his play. Thanks to his introductory press conference, he's given us some breadcrumbs on the things he'll emphasize.

Offensive rebounding, off-ball movement and trust in analytics have been things he's mentioned when he's been given extended time to talk—that and being a basketball sicko and hiring a staff that matches his freak.

If we look at everything he's said and paint a picture of the best outcome, then that would mean this team is closer to a Western Conference Finals than it is to the play-in.

That means Redick unlocks Rui Hachimura's potential, develops Max Christie and Austin Reaves has a career year.

Even in the best-case scenario, he'll undoubtedly make mistakes. But unlike other coaches, he won't hang on to a decision and will adjust when the math says he should.

Instead of being inexperienced, Redick is a breath of fresh air. He's able to use his basketball genius to lead this historic franchise to a 50-plus win season and suddenly, the Lakers look like the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks, a team with two stars that can go on a run in the playoffs if everything breaks right.

What is his worst-case scenario?

It turns out podcasters can't coach. Redick doesn't remind us of Pat Riley but more of Steve Nash, a former player turned coach who didn't pan out.

Things quickly turn sour in Southern California as Redick struggles to adjust to the pressures that come with being the coach of the Lakers. A couple of tough losses become a losing streak and suddenly, things begin to snowball out of control.

The lineups are perplexing, and Redick's answers don’t sit well with fans, given the lack of results. The noise gets loud regarding the wrong players getting minutes and with the team losing games in the process, LeBron James goes from podcasting and sharing wine with JJ Redick to subtweeting him.

The Lakers are a sub .500 team during the first half of the season and have to, once again, play perfect basketball from January on just to squeak into the play-in.

Due to the team being far from contention, vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka rationalizes not making a trade because it won't lead to "sustainable Lakers excellence."

Another LeBron James year goes to waste and it's clear that banner No. 18 is far away.

What is the most likely outcome?

Despite how tough the last few years have been for the Lakers, they've shown an ability to compete at a high level when the stars align, winning the NBA Cup and making a Western Conference appearance.

I'm optimistic that Redick can get this team to the 50-win mark and make them look a lot closer to the best version of themselves instead of the worst.

Growing pains will happen and rookie coaching challenges will come, but it's an 82-game season and by the end of it, given who is on the roster, I think he'll exhaust all options and optimize this team.

Will it make them champions? Probably not, but it won't be due to a lack of effort or execution.

Redick looks the part, talks the talk and by the end of the 2024-25 season, we'll know if the Lakers hired someone who can also walk the walk.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.