Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick offered detailed insight on Saturday into the team’s preparation for Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz and shared his perspective on Chris Paul’s decision to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Redick spoke after practice, describing a competitive environment that included a team pickleball tournament used to break up a dense practice stretch.
“Unsurprisingly, it was very competitive,” Redick said, noting that he had no role in forming the teams and joking about uneven pairings. He explained that several players have racket-sports backgrounds, which added to the intensity, and said the day served as a beneficial change of pace.
“It was a really good opportunity for us to just have some fun together,” Redick said while discussing the team’s balance between conditioning and camaraderie.
Regarding the group’s health, Redick said, “DA has an illness today… he’ll meet us on the plane but he was out of practice but everybody else good to go.”
The Lakers enter the matchup at 11-4, riding a three-game winning streak fueled by Luka Doncic’s 34.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game. Austin Reaves continues one of the strongest stretches of his career with 28.1 points and 7.6 assists.
Utah, meanwhile, sits at 5-10 with multiple rotation players unavailable, including Walker Kessler and Georges Niang.
When asked about the Jazz, Redick emphasized off-ball discipline and compared Utah’s movement to Golden State.
“If you start making up your own rules, you’re going to give up everything,” he said, stressing the need for structure in defending Utah’s actions.
He added that Los Angeles has tweaked elements of its coverage but said overall discipline “off the line” will be the key.
Redick also discussed rookie Jaxson Hayes’ performance in extended minutes, saying, “He just looked comfortable,” and praising his defensive stance and athletic drives.
Much of Saturday’s interview centered on Chris Paul, whose retirement plans were reported by Shams Charania.
Redick, who spent years competing against Paul before later playing alongside him, offered personal reflections.
“I just know him as a human being and a teammate and a brother,” Redick said while describing Paul’s growth across two decades.
He highlighted Paul’s command of possessions, saying the point guard “squeezed the juice out of every possession,” a trait Redick viewed as core to his identity as a player.
Redick also recalled a moment from his rookie season, when Paul walked by during a dead ball and told him, “Yeah, this is a lot different from college, isn’t it, JJ?”
Reflecting on their rivalry-turned-friendship, Redick said Paul ultimately became the teammate with whom he felt the strongest “connective tissue.”
Paul, now in his final season with the Clippers, will complete his 21st year before retiring, closing a career that includes 12 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA honors, and a spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
“The game will miss him,” Redick said, adding that he expects Paul to have “some amazing opportunities in retirement.”
Tipoff for Lakers vs. Jazz is set for Sunday at 8:00 PM ET at the Delta Center.
