"Rick Carlisle went at Dirk Nowitzki like that" - 8x All-Star urges JJ Redick to establish authority on Lakers by confronting LeBron James
After a hot start to the season that saw JJ Redick's LA Lakers win three straight games, the team has struggled to find consistency. Since the team's 3-0 start to the season, it has gone just 1-4. Following the team's recent 131-114 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, JJ Redick praised LeBron James while criticizing players such as D'Angelo Russell.
The way Vince Carter sees things, Redick needs to establish his authority by being just as critical of James and Anthony Davis. While some members of the NBA community questioned whether Redick made a mistake by criticizing players publicly, Carter has seen coaches take both approaches.
During Friday's episode of Run It Back on FanDuel TV, he weighed in on the situation. As he explained, even though James led the way for the Lakers, JJ Redick should take a page out of Rick Carlisle's book and pull James aside to let him know that he has to call him out, but that he shouldn't take it personally. The eight-time All-Star said:
"I've been with coaches who've done it both ways, and they've gone. Kept it internal, and they've gone to the media. I just feel like if you're JJ, ... he's trying to figure it out and his rhythm and how to go about coaching a Hall of Famer. ...
"The one thing I feel like he must do and he has to do is to continue to, regardless of if LeBron is playing great, I feel like he should be the guy you should throw your jabs at, because he can take it, he can handle it. Because now if I could go at LeBron and AD, I could go at anybody. ... Rick Carlisle went at Dirk like that."
"If I'm JJ Redick, I'm pulling LeBron aside and saying, 'Listen, I'm about to jump you'" - Chandler Parsons agrees with Vince Carter's take on JJ Redick and LeBron James
As Vince Carter was explaining that JJ Redick should call out LeBron James and Anthony Davis because it sets a precedent for the rest of the team, Chandler Parsons jumped in to agree.
Parsons, who had a front-row seat alongside Vince Carter when Rick Carlisle called out Dirk Nowitzki, knows firsthand the impact of calling out a star player. In doing so, the rest of the locker room knows that if a Hall of Fame caliber player is getting called out, then they need to step it up.
In explaining his position, however, Parsons dropped a hilarious line that had one his co-hosts, NBA vet Lou Williams, laughing:
"If I'm JJ, I'm pulling LeBron aside and saying, 'Listen, I'm about to jump you, man, in front of the team. Don't take it personal. I am going to get in your a** right now just so I can send a message.'"
Following Wednesday's loss to the Grizzlies, Redick and the Lakers will now look to get back on track on Friday night when they face the Philadelphia 76ers. The game will mark the start of a three-game home stretch that will then see LA host the Raptors on Sunday and the Grizzlies for a highly-anticipated rematch on Wednesday.