Imago
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Imago
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Facing the Oklahoma City Thunder is never fun. Especially for the Los Angeles Lakers, these matchups have been painful. They met OKC for the final time this regular season, with no change in the result. In fact, a 123-87 blowout loss is everything the Purple and Gold could afford. But more than the game, JJ Redick’s encounter with Jarred Vanderbilt and his message for Deandre Ayton have taken all the attention.
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Now, following the heated moments during and after, ex-NBA champion Jeff Teague revealed a scathing reality. On the Club 520 podcast, he said, “He [JJ Redick] won’t be the coach right here. He’s gonna get fired; he don’t deserve to. It’s not his father’s way. His best players got hurt.” He added. “Nobody, like, people are gonna stop liking him. You can’t say you’re the coach, you gotta take the blame. I mean, we just might be running some bad plays. Your players gotta know you still f— with them.”
Simply put, Teague called out Redick’s way of coaching. suggesting that if this back-and-forth continues, then the 41-year-old will lose his job. JT, just like many before him, pointed out JJ’s lack of accountability. He always blames injuries and under-preparation for a bad loss. Moreover, Jeff Teague emphasized that a coach must take responsibility and maintain trust with their players.
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The Thunder easily beat the Lakers, surprising no one. LA didn’t have Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, and Marcus Smart to hold the fort. Moreover, Oklahoma was dominant since Q1, and to be fair, they didn’t let Redick’s boys breathe on the court. Meanwhile, drama unraveled in Q2.
Now, Jarred Vanderbilt and JJ Redick share a steadier dynamic compared to the rollercoaster between JJ and Reaves. Ever since Redick stepped into Darvin Ham’s shoes, whispers of friction have lingered over Vando’s role, hinting at a quiet battle behind the scenes. Well, it’s hard to tell if that tension spilled on the sidelines on Tuesday. But when JJ made the move to sub him out of the game in the second quarter, things went ugly.
As expected, Vando exploded when the head coach told him he was coming out, firing off words at his head coach. Austin Reaves quickly stepped in, placing a hand on Vanderbilt’s shoulder to cool him down, while Redick brushed it off and walked away. After the game, Redick hinted at the team values driving his decisions and why he pulled Vanderbilt, leaving plenty to the imagination.
JJ said, “There’s a confluence of things. Nothing personal with him. But, normal stuff for my end. Being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw. We’ve got to all be on the same page. We’ve got to be great teammates, we’ve got to all play hard.”
Meanwhile, the 41-year-old Lakers head coach didn’t mince words in addressing the pressing issue around Deandre Ayton. You see, the 27-year-old big man had all the opportunity to become the game-changer for his team in Doncic and Reaves’ absence. However, that didn’t happen.
JJ Redick’s strong message to Deandre Ayton
Ayton once saw himself as a star, but eventually faced the mirror and accepted the Clint Capela–style role the Los Angeles Lakers wanted from him. Now, JJ Redick and the team are ready to feed their starting center more scoring chances. Yet, Ayton has struggled to convert those opportunities.
Therefore, after Tuesday’s game, Coach Redick said, “He’s had trouble catching the ball. So, we’ve ran a bunch of plays for him, he’s just had trouble catching the ball. I don’t know if that’s the passing or if it’s him trying to get position, he just, he hasn’t been able to catch the ball.”
Since Luka’s injury, DA has had two chances to prove himself. Once, against the Dallas Mavericks and again against the OKC Thunder. But guess what? He didn’t deliver. Against Dallas, Ayton scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, but his backup, Jaxson Hayes, outshone him.
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Mar 18, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) dunks against the Houston Rockets in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
That pattern has repeated through 2025-26. Things worsened against the Thunder: in 23 minutes, Ayton attempted just four shots, made one, and finished with only three points, leaving the Lakers’ center struggling to meet expectations.
Well, things are indeed falling apart without the star-studded lineup for the Lakers. And it looks like JJ Redick is losing his calm. He first took on Jarred Vanderbilt, then he aimed at Deandre Ayton. Amidst everything, the one thing that has remained constant is the head coach’s lack of accountability. And this could cost him heavily as Jeff Teague suggested. If these patterns continue, the Purple and Gold will face more blowouts, fractured locker room dynamics, and mounting questions about leadership.
