Lakers’ JJ Redick lauds Spurs’ Chris Paul for still playing
LOS ANGELES — Among the 14 teammates JJ Redick had during his last season playing for the Clippers in 2016-17, just two were active NBA players as of the Lakers’ Monday home game against the San Antonio Spurs.
DeAndre Jordan, who has been a backup center for the Denver Nuggets for the last three seasons, with his most valuable skill being the veteran presence he offers for the locker room.
And Chris Paul, who has started all 67 games for the Spurs in his 20th NBA season, is the 11th player in NBA history to play at least 20 seasons.
Redick, 40, and Paul, 39, were Clippers teammates from 2013-17, with Redick retiring four seasons after leaving the Clippers.
The Lakers coach said seeing a former teammate of his who is close in age playing for the opposite team didn’t ignite any feelings or thoughts about whether he’d still be able to play.
“No,” Reidick said. “I just told him, ‘You’re a psycho for still playing.’”
But as Redick has gone from retiring as a player in September 2021 to becoming a full-time broadcaster/podcaster to becoming the Lakers’ head coach last June, he and Paul have had conversations about what a post-playing career looks like.
“We’ve talked about it the last three years,” Redick said. “We had a long conversation about media stuff at one point. During the coaching process last spring, we had an hour-and-a-half conversation one night. It’s interesting because the fear for all of us, especially as we get toward the end, is that there’s nothing on the other side. And it’s not about how much money you made in your career and how much money you saved, what you can live off. It’s not about that.
“Highly competitive, highly driven, highly motivated people, there is a fear. And that is CP. And the crazy thing is he can do anything he wants to do because of who he is, how he’s carried himself, the career he’s had, the reputation that he has and the person he is. And he still wants to play the game. And that says a lot about him.”
Redick added: “He’s a great dad and a great husband. And he’s still chasing the little orange ball around like we all did when we were kids. And to me, that’s like, love that.”
INJURY UPDATES
Forward Rui Hachimura, who missed his ninth consecutive game because of left patellar tendinopathy, has advanced to playing three-on-three as part of his return-to-play process, Redick said ahead of Monday’s game.
LeBron James, who has missed five games because of a strained left groin, on Sunday went through his first on-court workout since suffering the injury late in the March 8 road loss to the Boston Celtics.
Both of their statuses remain day-to-day.
Redick said it’s unlikely either will be able to participate in any “stay-ready games” against the team’s end-of-bench players and assistant/coaching associates before returning.
“I’d have to look at the next three weeks but very unlikely there’s a practice,” Redick said. “I think there’s a practice in April. It’s the reality, playing every other day. Even if we do do something on the court, there’s not going to be any live contact in between game days.
“So they’re just gonna have to ease their way back in. Some of us have had to do that. I had to do it a few times. It’s ideal to have a practice, but I just don’t think that’s realistic right now.”