NBA Legend Makes Bold Prediction for JJ Redick and Los Angeles Lakers' First Year

The Los Angeles Lakers made the expected hiring of former NBA star and ESPN analyst JJ Redick on Thursday afternoon, ending a weeks-long storyline about who would be the next head coach in LA.

While it was the expected hire, it still is a bit shocking that the Lakers went with Redick, who has no previous coaching experience at the NBA or college levels and has never so much as been on an NBA coaching staff as an assistant.

As FOX Sports' Nick Wright put it, "There’s nothing to judge it on other than vibes and guesses.”

Now that the hire has been made, a lot of those guesses and predictions are coming to the forefront, many of them not great for the Lakers. Former Miami Heat star and NBA legend Udonis Haslem had one of those predictions on 'Get Up,' saying that he doesn't foresee LA making the playoffs in Redick's first year.

"Hell no. And I love the Lakers and I love everything they've got going on. But ain't no way in hell that they go to the playoffs this year with that roster," Haslem said . "JJ can draw up the annexation of Puerto Rico, it will not matter."

With as stacked as the Western Conference is set to be in 2024-25, the playoffs are going to be filled with 8 elite teams that have rosters full of star power. While the Lakers currently have LeBron James — for now — and Anthony Davis, they don't exactly have the talent around them to compete in that deep pool.

We don't know how long of a leash Redick will have with LA, but here's to hoping that he can survive at least one season without a playoff berth before getting kicked to the road.

Related: Big Name Emerges As Ideal Candidate to Replace JJ Redick at ESPN