The Los Angeles Lakers weren't supposed to be a 50-win team sitting ahead of all but two teams in the Western Conference standings. They weren't supposed to have home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs, nor were they supposed to be able to overcome a rush of injuries.
After the Lakers announced the hiring of JJ Redick as a first-year head coach, the expectation was that the team would come to regret the decision to hire an analyst with no sideline experience.
The perfect contrast between teams in remarkably similar situations, however, has revealed that Los Angeles was right to gamble on Redick. While it invested in Redick as the innovative mind who could turn a team led by veterans into a contender, the Phoenix Suns went with a more proven commodity.
Just one regular season later, Redick is headed to the playoffs as the head coach of the No. 3 seed, while the Suns are looking for a new sideline leader—again.
Mike Budenholzer is an NBA champion and one of the best coaches in the Association, but Los Angeles and Phoenix have proven an essential truth: Nothing matters more than fit.
Lakers, Suns prove that experience matters far less than fit
The skepticism that centered around the Lakers' controversial decision to hire Redick was certainly understandable. Despite his 15-year NBA career as a player and his legendary college basketball seasons, Redick was an unknown commodity in coaching circles.
For as impressive as he's been, there was an admittedly equal chance that the Lakers' decision to gamble on the former ESPN analyst would blow up in their faces.
Nevertheless, Los Angeles prioritized Redick's innovative mind, charismatic communication skills, and sympathy for the modern athlete in its search for a new head coach. It took a chance on those characteristics translating to the sideline and empowered their new leader to surround himself with veteran assistants.
The decision has paid dividends, as the Lakers produced their first 50-win season since 2019-20 and unexpectedly finished the regular season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
Budenholzer, meanwhile, is as proven as any coach in the NBA. He won a championship as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020-21, led the Atlanta Hawks to 60 wins in 2014-15, and secured another four titles as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs.
By all means and measures, Phoenix's decision to bring in a proven champion to lead a veteran team was a wise decision that should've led to resounding success.
Instead, the Suns finished 36-46, with the players and coaching staff never seeming to get on the same page. It was a shocking result for a team with championship ambitions, albeit one that seemed to perfectly reflect just how crucial fit truly is.
Budenholzer should land on his feet and Phoenix will have another chance to get the coaching search right, but Los Angeles has been vindicated for ignoring conventional wisdom.
