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THE LUKA DONCIC PROBLEM: WHY TRUSTING TEAMMATES IS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE L.A.

JJ Redick addresses how contract anxiety affects the Lakers' ball movement and calls on Luka Doncic to trust his teammates more.

The Luka Doncic Problem: Why Trusting Teammates is the Only Way to Save L.A.
JJ Redick gave a direct message to Luka to save the Game

Like a lot of guys across the league, the Lakers’ free agents have their eyes on the future, trying to lock down their next deal—whether that’s in L.A. or somewhere else. The quickest way to stay in the league? More minutes, more shots, better stats. That’s what gets you paid.

JJ Redick gets it. He spent 15 years in the NBA, four of them with the Clippers, and he’s been in these shoes. “I’ve been there,” he said. “There’s a human side to this. Guys worry about what’s next, especially when you’ve got a roster full of free agents and player options. Of course, they’re thinking about offence. It gets in your head—‘I’ve been out there for five minutes and haven’t even touched the ball.’ That’s just how it is. No one’s to blame.”

The numbers tell the story: five Lakers are in the final year of their contracts, and three more have options for the 2026-27 season. That’s eight guys who could hit free agency this offseason.

LeBron James, Gabe Vincent, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Maxi Kleber are all in their contract years. Austin Reaves has a player option for next season, but word is he’s waiting to test the market before he decides. The Lakers could put five years and $241 million on the table for him. Marcus Smart, 31, and DeAndre Ayton also have player options.

With so many guys thinking about their next move, it’s no surprise trust can get shaky on the court—especially when it comes to sharing the ball. Redick didn’t call anyone out; he just said it’s a general thing. But he did say getting everyone involved starts with Luka Doncic, their main ball handler.

During Thursday’s 112-104 loss to the Clippers, Doncic put up 27 of the team’s 88 shots (he made 11) and took 13 of their 33 three-point attempts (he hit three).

“He’s going to have the ball more than anyone,” Redick said. “But he’s got to trust his teammates. If two defenders come at him, if he’s surrounded, he’s got to move the ball. We talk a lot about being connected on defence, but you’ve got to be just as connected on offence.”

Doncic knows he’s supposed to get guys involved, but he pointed to their 24 assists on 40 field goals against the Clippers and said, “Not bad.”

“Could be better, obviously. But the ball was moving in the second half; that’s how we got back in it,” Doncic said, talking about the run where the Lakers cut a 26-point lead all the way down to two in the fourth quarter. “JJ said at halftime, the ball needs to move more. That’s what we did.”

LeBron, who handles the ball plenty himself, took 19 shots against the Clippers and made nine. Hachimura went 5 for 11 (2 for 7 from deep), and Smart shot 4 for 10 (1 for 5 from three).

As for his own future, LeBron said he isn’t stressing, even with the trade rumours swirling. After the game, he sounded at ease about sticking with the Lakers. “I’m good. I’m good,” he said.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER

The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.

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Grizzlies finalise Jaren Jackson Jr. deal

The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.

And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.

All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.

There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.

Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.

KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY

The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.

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Klint Kubiak is set for the Raiders as Seahawks coach faces the New England Patriots

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.

Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.

This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.

Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.

“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”

Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.

Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.

“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”

Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.

Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.

“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”

Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.

“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”

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