Draymond Green Defends JJ Redick After His Alleged Dig at LeBron James Turns Controversial

“Probably the first time in my three years here that I feel like the pieces actually fit together”: Those were the words of Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick during a press conference on Thursday. The timing of his comments stirred controversy, with fans taking Redick’s words as a dig at LeBron James, who exited the Lakers for the 76ers after the 2025-26 season. However, Draymond Green wanted to make sure he painted the full picture instead of agreeing with the negative consensus.

Green’s relationship with James has evolved from former rivals to good friends off the court. The Warriors star even defended Bron and his recent Polymarket deal. So, the expectation was he would again come to the former Lakers star’s rescue.

“I know everybody takes this as a shot at LeBron and be like, ‘Oh man, he’s talking about LeBron leaving.’ And I don’t think so,” Green said on Sunday’s episode of the Draymond Green show. “If you think the last two years with Bron and Luka, that really wasn’t a fit. So you have that. Now before that, I don’t necessarily know what pieces didn’t fit, but Bron and Luka are both ball-dominant players, and Bron had to learn how to play without the ball. And I ultimately don’t think it allowed for the best LeBron James.

“So I understand what he’s saying when he say the pieces fit together better. Because they’ve built a team that’s heavily going to play roles with Luka having the ball, and that’s been very successful for Luka in teams that he’s been on.”

Draymond Green took a nuanced approach rather than reading between the lines about what the Lakers head coach said.

“I think we’ve always tried to give our players clearly defined roles,” Redick said of the Lakers’ roster construction. “And I think with this group, probably the first time in my three years here that I feel like the pieces actually fit together. And so those roles probably get even more crystallized.”

The Lakers head coach didn’t directly address LeBron James, but many still felt it was a sneak diss towards the 22x All-Star.

However, the Warriors star hit the nail on the head when he spoke about the Luka-LeBron connection. Both being primary ball handlers throughout their careers meant the usage for one had to take a hit. Then, with Austin Reaves’ rise, James even became the third option on the team behind those two.

That’s why Green stated that the environment was not suited for the best version of LeBron James. After his exit, it was a deliberate move from the front office to create a roster that was younger and more athletic.

The additions of Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, and several key rotation pieces give JJ Redick far more lineup flexibility.

Walker Kessler fills a major hole around the rim with his shot-blocking and lob-catching ability. Quentin Grimes gives them another tough defender at the point of attack, while Matisse Thybulle adds even more versatility on the perimeter. Kevon Looney brings toughness and rebounding inside, and Collin Sexton gives them a downhill scorer who can attack when defenses load up.

Together, those additions give the roster more balance and depth, addressing the weaknesses JJ Redick felt. This reconstruction of the Lakers after LeBron James’ exit has also been referred to as the creation of a ‘Dallas 2.0’ with former Mavs player Doncic at the center of the plans.

That’s why Draymond Green did not jump to conclude that JJ Redick was taking a shot at LeBron James. Instead, the Warriors star detailed that it was more about the new team and its fit around Luka Doncic.

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