Bill Plaschke says Luka Doncic Deal Wasn't Biggest Lakers Trade This Season

The Los Angeles Lakers have undergone many changes in the past 10 months, both on and off the court.

From a coaching change to a massive roster change, the Lakers have been going through one thing after another. However, as we sit in mid-April, it seems to have paid off for L.A., at least at the moment.

The Lakers will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the West after securing 50 wins in the regular season, a feat that many deemed impossible in October.

Still, the Lakers have managed to silence a lot of skeptics. While many would credit the blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic as the defining moment that reshaped the team’s trajectory, L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke sees things differently. For him, the real turning point came with the hiring of JJ Redick.

"Thank you for turning down $70 million from the Lakers to stay at UConn. Thank you for walking away from Hollywood to hang out in Storrs. Thank you for doing the unthinkable to a team desperate for the impossible.

Thank you for the rejection, because it was the beginning of a rebirth.

Because Dan Hurley said no, JJ Redick said yes."

The Lakers always believed in Redick, as he was deemed the favorite to land the job before the Dan Hurley news broke in early June. For a few days, it seemed like the Lakers were going to make a slam-dunk hire in Hurley. However, after a few days of waiting in anticipation, Hurley rejected L.A.

It was deemed a massive loss for the Lakers after they had changed coaches several times in the last 12 years; nonetheless, L.A. had to pivot.

Redick quickly regained his status as the frontrunner for the job and earned strong support from the front office. Now, just months later, his hiring is not only looking like a home run but potentially the kind of long-term move that could define the next decade for the purple and gold.

With the playoffs approaching, the Lakers may have a handful of worries, but none will be surrounding Redick and his ability to coach and lead the team.

The Lakers will commence their road to title No. 18 on either April 19 or April 20.

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